Race for One Piece
by Teruul
Summary: The journey to find One Piece is not an easy one, but does she have what it takes? To stand face to face with both old and new terrors of the sea and chase after a dream the whole world tries to stop her from achieving? Follow Atalaya as she gathers a crew and sails to the Grand Line, her goal to defy the laws of nature and become the King of Pirates!
1. The Tiger of North Blue!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode one – The tiger of North Blue! Her name is Atalaya!**

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"_It's impossible."_

"_I'll still do it!"_

"_C'mon, Atalaya, you can't be serious!"_

_The young girl growled as her hair was roughly tussled. "Back off!" she snarled and slapped the hand away. "Why wouldn't I be serious?"_

_The surrounding crowd broke out into laughter. "Yer a _girl_, Laya," one of them said. "A girl can't become the Pirate King. Boys become kings, girls become queens, and there is no such thing as a Pirate Queen."_

_Her expression darkened and she kicked the one who had spoken in the shin. "I'll show you," she sneered and crossed her arms over her chest. "If I gather a crew, head for the Grand Line and get a bounty, will you believe me then?"_

"_Of course not!" She bristled at the instant reply. "There are a lot of female pirates with bounties out there, but none of them will become the Pirate King!"_

"_'It's impossible, it's impossible!'" she said, her face heating up in anger. "Nothing is impossible as long as you try your best!"_

_The village elder walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Give it up, Atalaya," he mumbled. "Nothing you say is gonna make these fools listen to you."_

"_No!" She twisted away from the elder and backed a few steps. "I'll show all of you," she hissed. "I'll become the Pirate King, and then all of you will have to acknowledge me!"_

_With those words, she turned her back to the crowd and sprinted towards the close mountains. She ran until she could no longer hear the villagers' voices. "I'll do it," she mumbled as she climbed up a steep hill. "I'll definitely do it."_

_When she reached the top, she tilted her head back and inhaled deeply. The cool autumn air tickled her nostrils and she crinkled her nose to prevent a sneeze. The sky was clear, and a small grin crawled onto her lips._

"_The title of the Pirate King will be mine!"_

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A single flake of snow managed to get past the protective branches of where she was hiding. The cold flake landed on her cheek, and she groaned. "Morning already?" she mumbled and opened her sleep-deprived eyes.

With a content sigh, she sat up and looked around. The landscape around her was covered in two feet of snow, but she had found a perfect spot for sleeping, a tree with branches that formed a neat little roof above her. Not a single snowflake had reached her, apart from the one just now.

She slid down from the tree and shivered as she sunk knee-deep into the snow. The cold quickly spread through her body, but she just huffed and started walking towards the south.

The dream had left her slightly irritated. Nearly twelve years had passed since Atalaya had vowed to become the king of pirates, but her fellow villagers had never stopped teasing her, not for one second. Not even when she had defeated every single man from her village's dojo, or when she had eaten the Devil's Fruit and gained the powers of the Sabertooth Tiger.

Atalaya had come across the Neko Neko no Mi at the tender age of eight. She had gotten a sudden impulse to grow winter apples, so she'd gone out to the land behind her house. After four hours of digging and tilling, she'd dug up a very strange-looking fruit. Hungry after all the hard work, she'd eaten the fruit without hesitation.

After getting over the horrible taste, a weird feeling had filled Atalaya's body. In a state of shock, she'd sat still on a stool in her house for two hours before dragging her feet to the local library and opened a register of Devil's Fruits. She'd learned what she had eaten was of the Zoan family, and would allow her to shapeshift into a vicious feline.

Atalaya chuckled as she remembered her very first attempt to transform, which had gone terribly wrong. Fur had started growing over her body, and she'd been too occupied with her new tail to remember her canines would grow longer as well. The razor sharp teeth had dug into her chin, resulting in two thin scars from each corner of her mouth, and down to the end of her chin. She'd scared the hell out of the doctor when she'd shown up with claws, a tail, and a bleeding mouth. The doctor had patched up, but there was one thing he couldn't fix.

The color of her eyes had shifted from brown to a yellowish orange. The doctor had said this was a side-effect from the Devil's Fruit she'd eaten, and they'd most likely never change back. When the rest of the villagers had heard of her newly gained ability, she'd gotten the extremely annoying nickname of 'kitten'.

Although she'd heard every day that a girl couldn't become the Pirate King, Atalaya had developed a theory of her own; if no one _knew_ she was a girl, there shouldn't be a problem. With that in mind, she kept her hair short and messy, her body was slender and without curves. Her chest was flat, and her arms muscular. On the rare occasion her village had had a visitor, they'd always called her 'lad' or 'young man'.

She wore clothes that could've been made for both boys and girls. A thick, black jacket protected her from the cold, tight white leather pants covered her legs, and dark boots decorated her feet. She also tied a white scarf with brown speckles around her head.

Atalaya had left Shimo Village about eight hours ago. She'd insisted on leaving in the middle of the night, to spare her from the teasing and laughing. But the village elder, who also happened to be the master of her dojo, had waited for her at the edge of the village.

"_You know they only mean well."_

"_Of course I do. But they still annoy me."_

_The elder chuckled. "I believe in you, Atalaya," he said and smiled. "You're strong, not only as a fighter, but I don't think I've ever met anyone with the same level of conviction and determination you have."_

_Atalaya smirked and hit her knuckles together. "Thank you, sensei," she said and saluted him with a respectful bow of the head._

"_Off you go then, before any of the brutes wake up."_

_She nodded and turned her back to her master and her village. "When and if I return, I'll be the Pirate King," she said. "See you later, sensei."_

"_Take care of yourself, Atalaya."_

_Without bothering to look over her shoulder, she just raised her hand in a lazy goodbye gesture._

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AN; _And so it begins..._

_First of all, hi! On this day, I'm starting to upload my very own One Piece story. I've been writing on this for a few weeks now, and I thought I could share it here. All basic information can be read below._

_So, this episode is mostly an introduction of Atalaya, who will be the most important character of the future crew; the captain. I'll be uploading pictures of the crew members on my profile page, once I've drawn them and gotten them scanned._

**_Schedule;_**_ These episodes are quite short (if you think of them as fanfiction chapters, which usually are between 5 and 10 pages or so), so I'll be uploading three times a week, on _**_monday, wednesday _**_and_**_ friday_**_. This schedule is permanent, and will only be broken if I happen to break my computer, run out of internet, or go on a trip where I can't post anything. Rest assured, I'll always keep you informed if something like that will happen!_

_As a final request, I'd like to ask you to _not_ mention similarities between this story and the original One Piece story. When writing a story based on a manga, it's very easy to make it a bit too similar to the original, but I do not copy anything. If I ever use a popular line from the manga, I will reference to it at the end of the episode. And if you feel like it's your duty to let me know about similarities, trust me; _I know._ I've read the manga 4 times, watched the anime 3 times, so I know all about One Piece, and I know when it's similar and when it's not._

**_Disclaimer; _**_Read carefully, because I'll only put this disclaimer here, in the first chapter, so memorize it if you think you'll start questioning what's mine and what's Oda's_**_. The story of One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda, and the ones who help him create it. All the familiar characters (for example Luffy or the Whitebeard pirates) I will mention belongs to him as well, but the names you've never seen/heard before are mine. The characters of the crew we follow are all mine, and when my crew comes across someone whose name you recognize from the story, we all will know it's from One Piece original._**

_Enough information for this day! Hope you will enjoy the story, and see you wednesday! Cheers!_


	2. The Town of Silence

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Not much to say except happy wednesday and enjoy the reading!_

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**episode two – The town of silence! Lolon village and the demon!**

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It took Atalaya three hours of walking to get to the closest road. By now, her pants were soaked, and she had to use the fur of her ability to keep her warm. The small trail was free of snow, and she hummed in content as the cold sensation slowly disappeared.

A wooden, arrow-shaped sign was barely visible in the snow not far from where Atalaya was standing. She hoisted her backpack higher up on her shoulder and walked over to it. She brushed it clean from snow and read the neatly carved letters.

"Lolon village," she mumbled. "The harbor town of Fubuki Island." She straightened her back and glanced in the sign's direction. If she really focused, the faint scent of smoke reached her nostrils. _Few miles down the road._

Feeling slightly exhilarated, Atalaya started running down the road. _Finally I can get out of here, _she thought and grinned. _Closer to the Grand Line!_

After jogging for twenty minutes, Lolon village appeared in her line of sight. The town was small and simple with a church, an inn and around fifteen houses. The docks stretched out quite far, and a crease appeared on Atalaya's forehead when she couldn't spot any boats.

When she reached the edge of the town, she got a strong feeling something was wrong. It was the middle of the day, so the streets should be filled with people, but the snow lay untouched on the ground. No tracks, no signs of anyone walking on these streets since the snow started falling yesterday.

Atalaya tracked the scent of smoke to the inn. The curtains were pulled in front of the windows, and she inhaled deeply before pushing the doors open.

She found herself standing in a large room with a reception desk in the corner. A pot with wilted flowers was standing on a small table by the doors, and the thick layer of dust made her eyes water.

"Hello?" When she didn't get a reply, she inhaled deeply, and caught the scent of another human in the room. "I'm not here to hurt anybody," she said and approached the reception desk. "I'm just a by-passer."

A few seconds of silence followed her words, and then an old man slowly raised himself from behind the desk. He was clutching to a rifle, and he stared at Atalaya with suspicious eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice sounding like being scraped against sandpaper. "Who are you?"

Atalaya raised her hands as a gesture of forfeit. "My name is Atalaya," she said. "I've come here from Shimo village up north."

"And what do you want?"

"I'm looking for a boat," Atalaya said, her eyes slowly traveling between the elder and his rifle. "I'm heading for West Blue, and I need a small ship for that, so..."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

She arched an eyebrow and scratched the back of her head. "Well, I can't provide proof for something that's inside my head, so... you just have to trust me."

The elder stared at her for a few moments before sighing and lowering his gun. He sat down behind his desk and pointed gestured towards a lone chair in the corner. "Sit," he said curtly.

Atalaya raised an eyebrow at the order, but dragged the chair to the middle of the room and sat down.

"I'm afraid we can't provide you with a ship," the elder said and rubbed his forehead.

"Why not?"

"As I'm sure you noticed, we have no boats left."

A crease appeared on Atalaya's forehead. "Why not?" she asked again.

The elder seemed to try to decide wether to tell her or not. After almost a minute of silence, he spoke. "Does the News Coo bring the paper to your village?"

"I don't know," Atalaya said. "I'm not really the kind of person who would read the paper. Why?"

"I'm surprised you haven't heard," the elder stated in disbelief. "Even from anybody else in your village..."

Atalaya cleared her throat to get him to move on. "Ah, right," he said. "The boats. The problem is, we don't have any."

"How could you not have any, isn't this a harbor town-"

"They've been destroyed."

Atalaya's eyes widened. "Destroyed," she repeated. "As in they've sunk out in the ocean?"

"No, destroyed as in destroyed," the elder said gravely. "Smashed to pieces while they were tied to the docks."

Atalaya groaned and leaned back in her chair. "Got any idea who did it?" she asked after a few seconds' silence.

"Yes, it... I mean, I'm really surprised you don't... Have you never heard anyone..?"

"Like I said, I'm not the news kind of person," Atalaya said and shrugged. "Who did it?"

The elder seemed to chew on the words. He leaned a little closer, and after looking around to make sure no one else was around, he whispered, "_It was the demon._"

He quickly shut his eyes as if he expected to die here and now. Atalaya stared at him, speechless, for almost a minute before finding her words again. "A... what kind of... _demon_?" she asked quietly.

"How would I know what _kind_ of demons it was?" the elder hissed, still looking like he feared he would be attacked any moment. "But recently, there have been news from all over North Blue that a _demon_ travels from island to island, destroying town after the other. No one knows what it looks like, and there are never any survivors to witness. And it always attacks during the night," he added and a wince. "One morning, we woke up and our boats were all destroyed."

"A demon, huh?" Atalaya absentmindedly scratched her neck, and when she lowered her hand, she noticed the elder kept staring at her. Slowly, she stood up from the chair. "Something you wanna ask me?" she said.

"You... your eyes are not normal," the elder said and averted his gaze. "That's why everybody's hiding right now. They think _you're_ the demon."

"My eyes?" Atalaya rubbed the soft skin under her right eye. "Oh, right. Rest assured, I'm not a demon, old man," she said. "I'm a human like you, I've just eaten a Devil's Fruit, and it turned my eyes yellow."

The elder almost fell out of his chair. "A-a Devil's Fruit!?" he stuttered. "But then you really _are_-"

Atalaya burst into laughter. "You know, I forget people who haven't set foot outside their hometowns see us Devil's Fruit users as _monsters_," she said between chuckles. "If having an ability makes me a demon, then I am a demon, but I'm not _your_ demon."

With that, she walked towards the doors, but turned around in the doorway. "I'm going hunting," she said gleefully. "Can you rent me a room when I get back?"

The elder seemed to drive an inner battle with himself. Finally, he nodded. "Fine," he said. "Bring me your kill and I'll let you stay."

Atalaya smirked and trotted outside. "Well, then," she hummed and rocked back and forth on her feet a few times. Then, as if shot out of a canon, she broke away from the ground and sprinted towards the edge of the village. The second she passed the last house, she crouched down on all four and let her ability take over her body.

Thick, dark brown fur started growing out of her skin, a sleek tail sneaked out from over the hem of her leather pants, her hands turned to claws, and her canines started growing down over her lower lip.

Now disguised as a sabertooth tiger, Atalaya practically flew over the snow, her mind set on the closest forest.

Hunting was one of her favorite ways to pass time. Not only did she get to practice stealth and subtlety, but she could also enjoy the rush of adrenaline, and the satisfaction of bringing something down with nothing but your own hands.

Well inside the forest, Atalaya pressed her sleek body flat to the frozen ground. She had already caught the scent of a pole hare, and without making more sound than a snowflake hitting the ground, she followed her nose and prowled deeper into the icy woods, excitement filling her senses.

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AN; _Pop a review if you have the time, I'd love to know what you think about this so far :)_


	3. Good or Evil?

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _I'll create the deviantART page on monday and upload a few pictures of Atalaya. Right now, I'm heading to a place with no network, but I'll be back in time to update on monday, worry not :)_

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**episode three – Good or evil? Aaron's tale and Atalaya's promise!**

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The sun had already started setting when Atalaya returned to Lolon village. She'd hauled in an impressive amount of small game by now, and the village elder was overjoyed.

"There has been a shortage in food lately," he explained. They were currently located in the kitchen, where the elder was preparing a delicious stew. "Nobody has dared enter the forest since the demon's arrival, so we've been living what vegetables we have left."

"Couldn't you fish?" Atalaya wondered from her seat on one of the kitchen counters. "You do live close to water, old man."

"There are no fish by our shores," the elder said as he cut up a few carrots and potatoes. "We'd have to go out to the sea, and with no boats..."

"So there's no way to get off this island?"

"No." The elder let the chopped-up vegetables roll into the pot, and just as Atalaya was about to curse at her bad luck, the elder raised his voice again. "Or wait. There might be another way."

He put down the knife and wiped off his hands on his apron. "I'll be right back," he mumbled and left the kitchen. Atalaya could hear him rummage around in the lobby, and she stirred around in the big pot a few times while she waited.

"Got it," the elder said when he returned. He waved a brochure in front of Atalaya's face. "Check the schedule for the cargo ship that travels from Wayward Island to Fubuki Island."

"Wayward..?" Atalaya grabbed the brochure and started flipping the pages. "Is Wayward Island in..?"

"West Blue," the elder finished and nodded. "The cargo ship makes that route every three weeks, delivering and picking up a lot of products on the way here. I'm sure they'll let you ride with them if you ask nicely."

"Cool," Atalaya smirked. "Oh, here it is. Let's see..." She read the small numbers, and frowned in confusion. "What's today's date?" she asked.

"You don't even..." The elder shook his head. "36 days from the beginning of next year."

"Right... hah!" Atalaya bounced off the corner and threw the brochure back to the elder. "The cargo ship should arrive in two days from now!"

"Is that right?" The elder eyed the page and nodded. "Right you are," he sighed. "Maybe we should all board that boat, escape from here..."

An uncomfortable silence settled in the room and Atalaya grabbed the opportunity to mull things over. This so called demon was most likely located on this island, close to this village. It had destroyed the boats, and so marked this village as its target. Looking at the general picture, Lolon village's situation had nothing to do with her, but if the demon decided to pay a little visit to Shimo village as well...

"I could try and stop it, you know," she said.

"Stop what?" the elder said absentmindedly, eyes focused on the boiling pot.

"That demon."

It took the elder almost a full minute to process her words. When he finally did, he dropped the spatula he'd been holding and walked closer to her on unsteady legs.

"You... you're not serious, are you?" he whispered, voice cracking. "It's impossible, you'll be killed for sure!"

Atalaya scowled as the elder's words triggered a quick flashback of her past. _It's impossible..._ She took a step away from the old man. "No, it's not, and no, I won't," she growled. "I'm stronger than I look, and I have the power of a Devil's Fruit."

The elder started sputtering about false hope and dreams, but Atalaya had just heard the floor creak out in the lobby. Without paying the elder any attention, she quickly stomped up to the door and flung it open, only to find a young boy standing in the middle of the lobby.

"Who are-"

"Aaron!"

The elder hurried past Atalaya and crouched down next to the boy. "What are you doing here so late, Aaron, your mother will worry..."

"Are you gonna kill him?"

The sudden question seemed to make the temperature in the room drop by a few degrees. Aaron ignored the shocked elder and stared at Atalaya with unusually green eyes. "The one you call a demon, are you gonna kill him?"

The elder released him and backed away a few steps. He seemed unsure of what to do next. "I have to check up on the pot..." he muttered and after sending a stern gaze in Atalaya's direction, he walked back into the kitchen.

Once he was gone, Atalaya sat down in front of the kid. He had dark rings under his eyes, and he was clutching to the hem of his shirt.

"I don't know," Atalaya said. "This village seems so scared of it, I thought I could drive it away."

"He's not an 'it'," Aaron said quietly. "He's a boy, a man like you."

Atalaya had to bite her teeth together to not let slip that she was, in fact, a woman. "You've seen it? I mean, him?" she asked.

"Yeah." Aaron nodded frantically. "I saw him one night when he was destroying one of our ships. He's... he looks like a fox. Or, I mean, he's a man, but... he looked sneaky, like a fox."

"A fox," Atalaya repeated. "Did this man notice you were watching him?"

"Yeah, he did," Aaron said and swallowed thickly. "He was smiling. He crouched down in front of me, patted me on the head and said, 'Good kids should stay home at night, dont'cha think?' and left."

"That... doesn't seem to bad," Atalaya said slowly. "Is he really a bad person?"

"Oh, I'm sure he is! After all, his clothes were all drenched in blood, his hair as well."

There was a few seconds' silence, then Atalaya sighed. "Do _you_ want me to kill him?" she asked gravely.

"I dunno," Aaron mumbled. "I mean, if he's killed someone, then... but maybe you don't have to _kill..._"

The door to the kitchen flew open before he could finish his sentence, revealing the obviously aggravated elder. He inhaled deeply a few times before speaking, trying his best to keep his voice calm. "Aaron, you should stay and have a bite with us," he said. "Then I'll take you home. It's too dangerous outside after sunset."

Aaron nodded and trotted into the kitchen. The elder let him pass first, and when the elder was sure he couldn't hear them, he leaned closer.

"I... I hope what he said-"

"Don't worry, old man," Atalaya interrupted with a small smile. "I'm promise I'll go after the demon."

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AN; _Please pop a review, your thoughts on the story so far are very important to me. Other than that, have a nice friday night and weekend!_


	4. The hunt begins!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _This episode is a little on the shorter side, mostly because I wanted to save all the excitement for the next chapter, so I wouldn't have to interrupt it. Sorry~_

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**episode four – The hunt begins! Find the fox in the forest!**

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Atalaya was on the move the next morning before the sun had even started to raise. She was walking along the snowy shores just outside Lolon village, listening for any uncommon sounds and trying to catch unfamiliar scents.

Of course, she knew there were no such things as _demons_, but her interest had peaked when she'd listened to Aaron's explanation, and she couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of his description.

"A _fox_," she hummed. "A tiny little woodland creature, huh?"

Underestimating was not something Atalaya took lightly. Apparently, this man had tortured quite a few islands in North Blue, so she would have to take extra caution when approaching him.

When she had been walking for almost an hour, she decided to enter the forest. Apart from Aaron, the elder had said no one had ever seen him, and that's why they called him demon. He was clever enough to not get spotted, so the chances of Atalaya finding him today were very slim.

But she wanted to find him before the cargo ship would arrive. She had further questioned Aaron last night and found out the man had been holding a katana, and Aaron had also seen a variety of knives and daggers stuck through a belt around the man's waist. Apparently the man knew how to handle anything with a sharp edge.

"Maybe he's an assassin," she hummed. "Or a ninja. A ninja would be cool..."

As quietly as she could, she moved through the snow, stopping and perking her ears every time she heard even the slightest sound. She moved in a crouching position, searching the ground and trees for any sign of unusual activities in the forest.

A small smile settled onto her lips as the memory of her first hunting lesson appeared in her mind. She'd left the village early in the morning together with her master, fully equipped and ready to spend the day in the forest. The hunt had been disastrous, mostly because she'd had no way of controlling her ability, and her constant failed transformations had scared away all the game.

Although she hadn't managed to catch anything, the elder had thought her all he knew about tracking. About how to trace a hare back to its hole, how to find out what kinds of predators hid in the depths of the trees, she'd even learned how to count the amount of animals moving in a pack just by observing the trees and ground.

The obvious absence of any critters told her there was definitely something hiding in these woods. She couldn't hear a thing, not even birds, and she knew this would only happen if an extremely intimidating predator had appeared in the forest, most likely this demon. Now, probably all that would remain here would be carnivores, who could hold their own against any other animal.

Atalaya knew it would be easier and more convenient to use her ability, but if this demon was watching her right now, she wouldn't want him to find out her strengths just yet. So she kept moving around the snow-covered conifers, her left eyebrow twitching every time the snow crunched underneath her feet.

The sudden sound of a branch cracking made her raise her head and throw her head in every direction. As quickly and quietly as she could, she navigated to the closest, most concealing tree and climbed it. Well secured from onlookers, she scanned the ground beneath her, waiting for the source of the sound to reveal itself.

"Show yourself, demon," she muttered, her senses quickly becoming overheated from all the tension, but the grove was bathed in silence.

Just when she was about to retreat from the tree, a wild boar came charging out from between the trees. Atalaya inhaled deeply and grinned, thinking the boar would surely provide her with a feast, but before she could start moving down to the ground, a shadow bursted out from the nearest bush, heading for the boar with incredible speed.

Atalaya pressed herself against the branch she was sitting on and angled her head to get a good look at the scene below her. The shadow was faster than the wild boar. In only a few seconds, it was right next to the charging beast, then a loud squeal echoed in the cold air as the boar fell to the ground, dead. The shadow slowed down and a smirk graced Atalaya's lips when she saw it was a human.

"There we go, Aaron," she mumbled. "Just like you said."

Clothes and hair drenched in blood, a smile that made his face resemble that of a fox's, and a long katana in his hand. By the looks of him, he couldn't have been much older than Atalaya. His extremely pale skin was free of any lines, and he was slender on the verge of underfed.

He crouched down and ran his free hand over the deep gush he'd just placed upon the animal. A chill traveled down Atalaya's spine as the man straightened up and observed his blood-soaked hand with obvious interest and satisfaction. He stood still like that for almost thirty seconds before releasing an inaudible chuckle.

_Oh my,_ Atalaya thought. Her smirk grew wider, and she soundlessly raised herself back into a sitting position. The man was completely oblivious to his surroundings, and somehow that very feature made Atalaya want to reveal herself, just to see his reaction.

_You'll be the first one to join my crew, demon fox._

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AN; _Thoughts?_

_I'm still working on that dA page, I just can't seem to properly edit the pictures on photoshop, and I don't wanna give ya half-assed pictures, yanno?_

_Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	5. Beware the Demon Fox!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Getting closer to the excitement, closer, closer, closer..! Hope ya like :)_

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**episode five – Beware the demon fox! Enter Kitsune!**

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Atalaya sat perfectly still on her branch, her mind trying to process what would be the best way to approach this so called demon. If she trusted the rumors, this man was a dangerous, cold-blooded murderer, and frankly, that was pretty obvious. The once blue kimono was caked with blood, and his silvery hair had become stiff and frizzy from the dried up liquid.

Then again, he had decided not to kill Aaron. He'd said a few words to the kid and moved on, so how dangerous could he actually be?

_Demons ought not to be startled_, Atalaya thought and smirked. _No matter how kind they seem._

The man started gathering small branches and tossing them into one big pile. _Food time, huh?_ Atalaya followed his leisure movements for a few moments, all the while thinking something was off. She narrowed her eyes and frowned as she observed him.

He was still holding onto his katana. The sword's holder was visible from underneath the simple piece of cloth he had tied around his waist, but he didn't let go of his weapon. Either the man was very cautious, which would be understandable, or...

Atalaya growled lowly and slid down from her branch. She landed softly on the snow, and her frown turned into an impressed grin when the man didn't even flinch. He didn't even stand up or look over his shoulder. In fact, he didn't show any signs something surprising had just happened.

_Confident bastard_.

"How long have you known I was here?" she asked with the tone of someone speaking of the weather.

The man chuckled. "Since yer li'l hunt yesterday," he snickered. He showed absolutely no signs of being threatened by her. "Ya got some guts, sweetheart, sneakin' up on a demon."

The frown returned to Atalaya's features at the nickname 'sweetheart', but she quickly recovered. "Since my hunt yesterday," she repeated slowly. "So you saw-"

"Fur, a tail an' big teeth," the man said and nodded. "Mighty impressive, yer ability."

Atalaya cursed internally. "You think so?" she asked in an attempt to cover her dismay. "I gotta say, I'm impressed with you too. You've got nice speed. Always use a katana?"

He finally stood up and faced her. The first thing Atalaya registered was his wide smile, which, just like Aaron had said, made him resemble a fox. His eyes were closed, but the feeling of being stared at still crawled through Atalaya's body. His skin was deathly pale, even more so in contrast to the deep red blood.

The man ignored her question and threw a couple more branches onto the pile. Still without dropping his katana, he withdrew a short dagger from the insides of his kimono and bent down. He hovered both weapons over the pile of wood and slid the dagger over the blunt end of his katana.

The friction caused small sparks to fly in every direction, and when one lone spark reached the pieces of wood, the branches caught on fire.

The man stood back up and faced Atalaya once more. They stared at each other for a few seconds before he tilted his head to the side and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You're not a big fan of using words, are you?" Atalaya sighed. She chewed the inside of her bottom lip for a few seconds, wondering to which questions she might actually get an answer. "You got a name?" she finally asked.

"Kitsune."

Atalaya sighed. "Your _real_ name," she said coldly. The man's smile grew wider, but he remained silent. "Alright, _Kitsune_, may I ask you a personal question?"

"Ask away, sweetheart."

"Are the rumors true?" Atalaya asked. "About you destroying all those towns in North Blue?"

Kitsune took his time before answering. "What if they are?" he finally said and spun the dagger around in his hand a few times before sticking it back inside his kimono. "Will ya do as the villagers want an' drive me away?"

Atalaya chuckled. "Not really," she said and rolled her shoulders. "Just curious about why you do what you do."

"Would ya believe me if I said it was fer fun?"

"Not really," Atalaya repeated and arched her eyebrows. "You're just gonna run around in North Blue and kill everyone you see? That doesn't sound fun at all," she stated.

Kitsune chuckled softly. "Well, I didn't say I'd stop after North Blue, did I? After that I might just-"

"Ever thought of becoming a pirate?"

It was Kitsune's turn to raise an eyebrow. His smile disappeared for half a second, but when he spoke up again, it returned. "Don't think so, sweetheart," he chimed. "Why ya ask?"

"Oh, just wondering if you'd be interested in taking over the seas with me," Atalaya said casually.

A few seconds of deafening silence followed this statement. Kitsune's face morphed from smug to surprised, and Atalaya could see his eyes were moving rapidly under their lids. Then, much to Atalaya's surprise, he burst out laughing.

The sound was eerie, like he would be laughing underwater. He stuck his katana down in the snow and used it as a support to not fall over, he was laughing so hard. Atalaya patiently waited for him to stop, and the second the laughter started to ebb out, she raised her voice again.

"I'm gonna become the Pirate King, and you would make a great addition to my crew."

Kitsune raised a hand to silence her. His shoulders were trembling from suppressed laughter, and he pressed a hand to his aching side. "Let me get this straight, sweetheart," he said breathlessly. "Ya want _me_, the one they all call a demon, ta join ya en route fer One Piece? Oh, this is priceless..."

"What exactly do you find so funny?" Atalaya asked.

"The chances of me givin' up on my current... _occupation_ are very close ta zero," Kitsune said and offered her an icy grin. "Told ya, I enjoy what I'm doin'. People are afraid a'me, so they leave me be. Until I get bored an' kill 'em, a'course," he added.

Atalaya's expression darkened. "I can easily terrorize Lolon village to the point where they will come to _you_, begging for help," she said gravely.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Reviews are nice..._

_Kitsune is japanese for 'fox', that's why Atalaya questions Kitsune's name._

_Until friday, cheers!_


	6. Convince the Demon Fox!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Sorry I'm a few hours late, had my school's film-festival to attend to... Cheers!_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode six – Convince the demon fox! Atalaya versus Kitsune!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"I can easily terrorize Lolon village to the point where they will come to _you_, begging for help."

Kitsune's smile grew even wider. "I wouldn't mind that," he said smugly. "Havin' the prey come ta me fer a change. It'd spare me the pain of sniffin' 'em out first."

_Crap. _"Right, okay, and we keep doing that until there's no one left but you and me," Atalaya retorted. "Then what do you do?"

Kitsune didn't respond immediately, so Atalaya continued. "As a pirate, you could roam freely on the biggest sea in this world, slaying both marines and pirates. Get a bounty and they'll come after you, _begging _for a fight."

Silence followed her words, and Atalaya closed her lips, letting her last statement hang in the air. This sort of persuasion seemed to have some effect on Kitsune. He stood still for a moment, tilting his head from one side to the other, as if to hear how the words sounded in different positions.

He pulled his katana out of the snow and strode up to Atalaya. With a crooked grin, Kitsune lifted the blade and rested the cold steel against her shoulder. "What makes ya think I won't kill ya, sweetheart?" he asked.

Atalaya grinned as she sensed his dangerous tone. "What, you think I can't handle you?" she said and grabbed hold of the katana. The blade pierced her skin, but it was not nearly enough to make her even flinch.

To give her words a slight boost, she pushed the blade down from her person and backed a few steps, assuming a defensive stance. "Wanna try taking me down?"

Kitsune chuckled and let the katana hang loosely by his side. "Ya sure ya wanna take that risk?" he asked, and Atalaya could actually hear his strong lust for battle.

"If I win, will you join my crew?" she asked.

"Depends," Kitsune jingled. "If ya lose, what do _I_ get?"

Atalaya fell silent, searching her brain for any proper leverage. "I'll let you go back to what you were doing without ever bothering you again?" she offered halfheartedly.

"Not good enough, sweetheart."

"Alright, give me a minute." She chewed on her lower lip as she tried to come up with something suitable, something good enough to lure this fox out of its woods.

_If this guy loves killing so much, why not appeal to that side?_

"Okay, how about this," Atalaya said slowly. "Once my days as Pirate King are numbered, I'll allow _you_ to take my head. Think about it," she added quickly when Kitsune opened his mouth to protest. "If you turn in the head of the Pirate King, you'll become the most wanted man in history. People will be lining up to fight you, and that way you can kill to your heart's content without having to even _think_ about searching for your prey."

Kitsune was still smiling, but Atalaya could tell his brain was working quickly to figure out wether or not to take the bet. His grip on his sword's hilt had tightened slightly, and he was rocking back and forth on his feet.

"Arite," Kitsune finally said. He raised his katana and pointed it straight between Atalaya's eyes. "Let's see what ya can do, sweetheart."

Atalaya's grin grew feral, and she sucked in a deep breath before letting her hands morph into sharp claws and her teeth grow longer. She kept her human form, although fur was sprouting out of her back, and her tail sneaked out if its hiding.

Kitsune followed her transformation with interest. "Think ya can beat me with just claws an' teeth?" he snickered.

"You should worry more about yourself," Atalaya snarled and bared her teeth.

For what seemed like an eternity, they stood still in the snow, calmly measuring each other. Suddenly Atalaya found Kitsune's laid-back attitude, his constantly closed eyes and wide smirk somewhat irritating. She shook her head roughly a few times before breaking away from the ground.

The sound of claws meeting metal echoed like a gunshot through the trees. The momentum of the contact almost seemed to make the ground beneath them quiver. Without wasting precious seconds, Atalaya pushed the blade away from her, whirled around and aimed a kick at Kitsune's ribs.

The kick tore through thin air as Kitsune had already vanished from her line of sight. Atalaya growled, but her ears caught the sound of featherlight footsteps behind her, and she instinctively ducked down.

Only a second later, she felt the sword pass a hairsbreadth above her head. She planted her hands in the snow and raised her lower body into the air, aiming another kick at Kitsune, this time going for his head.

He simply lifted his right hand to parry the attack. The tremendous blow to his wrist made his grin falter a little, and he widened his stance for a steadier footing. With an exhilarated smirk, Atalaya let her body fall to the ground and quickly rolled to the side to avoid being stabbed by the katana.

Well on her feet again, she wasted no time in throwing herself at Kitsune again. She saw him prepare to strike and raised her arms to block the katana, but changed her mind in the last second. She angled her head, and the blade hit her straight in the face.

If the situation would've been different, Atalaya would've laughed at Kitsune's surprised expression. Her large teeth had withstood the sharp edge of the katana, and now she was free to use her hands. She quickly grabbed hold of Kitsune's wrist and directed the sword away from her. With a soft snarl, Atalaya slammed her free hand into his chest and dug her claws into the pale skin.

Blood started welling from the puncture wounds, and a wave of confidence washed over Atalaya, but she realized her mistake a few seconds too late. Kitsune's free hand clenched into a fist, and he rammed it straight into her temple, making her vision go dark for a split second.

The short disorientation made her accidentally loosen the grip on both Kitsune's chest and his wrist. Her claws left his skin with a slight popping sound, and Kitsune let escape a sound that lay somewhere in between pain and, in some twisted way, pleasure.

Atalaya quickly laid a safe distance between them. She buried one hand in the snow to help carry the weight of her body while she gently rubbed her sore temple. There was no blood, so she exhaled sharply and stood up straight.

"Never would've expected those thin arms to have so much strength," she said and cracked her knuckles. "You're full of surprises."

"Ya don't wanna underestimate yer enemy, sweetheart," Kitsune said. "Even if there is nothin' ta estimate in the first place."

He raised his sword and inhaled deeply. When his lungs expanded from the intake of air, an impressive amount of blood gushed out of the small holes in his chest, but he didn't seem to notice. Atalaya's body tensed as she felt something bad was about to happen. Her eyes raked over Kitsune's body, determined to catch even the slightest of movements.

"Fox Dance."

For half a second, Kitsune vanished from her sight. If she hadn't been staring at him, Atalaya would've missed it completely, and her body had quickly moved to the right out of pure instinct. The only change had been the shift in Kitsune's posture, and when he'd appeared in front of her again, his katana was covered in blood.

_When the hell..._

It took Atalaya a few seconds to realize what she was waiting for had already happened. A sharp pain shot straight through her leg, and when she looked down, she saw a deep cut on her inner left thigh. Her pants had been torn open, and blood was quickly coloring her white pants red.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _The battle has begun! Stay tuned for the results!_

_Pop a review if ya have the time, and until monday, good night!_


	7. Who will triumph?

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Happy monday!_

…

_Who am I kidding, there ain't no such thing as a 'happy monday'... have a nice beginning of the week!_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode seven – Who will triumph? Sword versus teeth!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Feeling as if her leg had caught on fire, Atalaya growled from the depths of her throat. She refused to show any signs of weakness and kept her back straight, her left leg quivering every time she put too much weight on it.

After swallowing thickly a couple of times, she forced a toothy grin and looked up at Kitsune. "Impressive technique, your speed is really..."

Her smile, which had been intended as taunting, faltered slightly as Atalaya notice Kitsune had finally opened his eyes. Blood red irises stared back at her from beneath heavy lids and long lashes. His eyes were squinted, most likely from keeping them closed most of the time. Judging from the small twitch in the corner of his right eye, the sunlight seemed to sting his eyes, making them water slightly.

Atalaya tried to take a step, but the pain in her leg seared in protest. She hissed in pain and grit her teeth to the point where she could feel her fangs pressing against her old scars. "Is this why you keep your eyes closed?" she breathed out, wobbling slightly as she tried to balance on her right leg.

Kitsune chuckled and let his eyes flutter close again. "I'm actually surprised ya don't do the same," he said and rubbed the soft skin underneath his left eye. "Weird or unusual eye-colors tend ta make people believe untrue things 'bout ya."

Atalaya couldn't help but chortle. "Lolon village's elder did say everyone was hiding from me because of the color of my eyes," she said, groaning inaudibly as she took a few tentative steps to the right.

Her leg was still throbbing, but she managed to somehow repress the pain and assume her battle stance once more. She brought forth more of her ability, letting her entire body become covered in fur. Now half human half beast, some of the pain subsided, and she charged at Kitsune once more, arms raised and ready to strike.

Their battle became more vicious, resulting in countless cuts and small wounds on both of their bodies. Neither were hesitant to dish out fatal blows, and soon the snow surrounding them looked like shaved ice with raspberry sauce. The constant ringing of steel meeting claws made Atalaya's ear curl backwards in sheer pain, and in the heat of the battle, she had no way of reducing her ability's effectiveness.

_I need to finish this quickly_, she thought as she twisted her body to the side to avoid having her upper body sliced off. She spent another few seconds simply dodging the strikes, until an idea finally popped into her mind. _Alright, let's try this out_.

The cut in her leg was taking its toll, but she could very much use that to her advantage. After preforming a ridiculous pirouette to avoid Kitsune's katana once more, she could actually feel blood spilling out from the wound. She gritted her teeth and sunk down to the knees, her right hand going to cover the gash.

"I think the match's mine, sweetheart." She heard Kitsune's triumphant voice right behind her and from the corner of her eye, she saw the sword come flying towards her neck.

A grin flashed on Atalaya's lips and she twisted her upped body around to greet the katana with her mouth, only this time she caught it between her teeth. She winced slightly as the blade just barely pierced the corners of her mouth, and she sent Kitsune a smoldering gaze before clenching her jaw and biting straight through the metal.

The sword shattered, sending tens of small slivers flying in every direction. Slowly, Atalaya raised to her feet and studied Kitsune's expression. His smile had vanished, and he seemed utterly lost for words. His eyes were wide open, and he stared in disbelief at what remained of his once trusted weapon. At the sight of his shocked state, Atalaya almost felt bad for him.

_Almost_.

She grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the snow. Her claws barely pierced his skin, and she was pleased to find his pulse beating quite rapidly. The silence in the woods was only broken by the heavy breathing of the two, and it took the adrenaline in Atalaya's veins almost a minute to disappear.

"Well."

Atalaya exhaled sharply and sat down next to him. She retracted her claws along with the rest of her ability, but she didn't let up on her grip. "I think the match is mine, _sweetheart_."

The corners of Kitsune's mouth curled upwards and he chuckled. "Seems that way." He had a completely different tone now; the disdain was gone, along with any trace of coldness. "Ya know how ta use yer weaknesses against yer enemy," he said. "Impressive."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, just so you know," Atalaya grinned.

"I don't flatter," Kitsune hummed. He slowly lifted an arm and poked at the hand around his throat. "Mind lettin' me sit up?"

Atalaya eyed him suspiciously, but let go of his throat. Kitsune sat up straight and inhaled deeply. A soft, cold breeze ruffled his bloodied hair, and he sighed. "So I suppose yer gonna drag me ta the Grand Line now, _cap'n_?" he asked and turned to face her.

"You get the honor of being my first mate," Atalaya said, grinning. "First mate of the future Pirate King, you should consider yourself lucky."

"Once ya become the King of Pirates, I'll agree with ya."

Atalaya chuckled and hoisted herself to her feet. "Let's go to the village," she said and offered Kitsune a hand. "We should treat our wounds, and there's a cargo ship arriving here in a few days. We'll take it and travel to West Blue."

"Arite, sweetheart," Kitsune sighed and got to his feet. He threw a quick glance in the direction of the village and his smile widened. "Ya sure they won't try ta hang me or somethin'? I _am_ a demon, after all."

"I can handle them," Atalaya said.

They started walking – in Atalaya's case, limping – towards the village, but not before Kitsune nudged Atalaya in the side and said, "By the way, ya owe me a new katana."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN;_ And so the battle ends! This episode is once again a little on the shorter side, mostly because I had a hard time breaking up my texts into episodes, and this was the best part to cut it off..._

_Cheers and until wednesday, so long!_


	8. One step closer!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Heya, I'm updating a little earlier today, since I won't have time to do it later... I'm sure you don't mind :)_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode eight – One step closer! Leave for Wayward Island!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Get him out of here!"

Atalaya sighed and rubbed her forehead. The entire village had gathered in the middle of the main street, apparently waiting to celebrate the successful hunt. The second their eyes had landed on Kitsune, they had panicked and now they were all trying to cower behind the village elder.

"He's harmless, you know?" Atalaya groaned. "I already made him swear-"

"Harmless!?" the elder shouted. "You, I'm sure you're his companion now, and you're going to help him kill us!"

Kitsune looked like he was having tons of fun. He had clasped his hands behind his back, and was smiling widely.

"Trust me, he wouldn't need any help with that," Atalaya mumbled to herself. Her injured leg was slowly starting to feel numb, and she needed to treat the cut soon, or it would get infected. "Look, you can tie us down if you want," she said and raised her hands. "We'll leave tomorrow when the cargo ship makes port here, but both of us need to treat out wounds."

The elder furrowed his brow, but before he could speak again, the child from last night broke away from the crowd.

"Aaron!"

He ignored his mother's shrill voice and jumped out of reach from the elder, who had tried to grab hold of him. Without looking at Kitsune, he walked up to Atalaya. He flinched at the sight of her wound, and quickly grabbed hold of her hand.

"Does it hurt?" he asked quietly.

"Nah, not so much anymore," Atalaya said and crouched down next to him. "But I still need to treat it."

Aaron nodded and swallowed thickly before glancing over at Kitsune. "Y-you... you're injured too, right?" he mumbled.

With a chuckle, Kitsune followed Atalaya's example and bent down. "A little," he said and placed a hand on Aaron's head. "Most of this ain't my blood, though."

Atalaya frowned as Aaron shivered, and she batted away Kitsune's hand. "Could you read the situation and be a little more refined?" she muttered.

"That's okay, mister," Aaron said and tugged on Atalaya's hand. He looked shaken, but determined. "You can sleep in my room tonight, we have bandaids and stuff like that..."

Aaron's mother emitted a squealing sound and pleadingly looked at the elder, who took a few deep breaths before pointing at Atalaya with a shaking finger. "Fine," he wheezed. "You can stay at the inn, but you'll be responsible of everything he does while he's here."

"Naturally," Atalaya said and bowed her head. "You have my gratitude."

The elder scoffed, but he didn't look too harsh anymore. Aaron smiled at Atalaya and pulled her towards the inn. As they moved, all the villagers hurried out of the way.

Well inside the inn, Aaron led them to their room and left them for a moment to fetch the first-aid kit.

"See, I told you I could handle them," Atalaya said as she let herself fall down on the bed.

"Without that kid, we'd be sleepin' in the woods this night," Kitsune snickered. "And die from frostbite."

Aaron returned shortly with a box full of medicine and bandaids. He handed the kit to Atalaya, and after sending Kitsune an uncertain smile, he left the room.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Atalaya asked when the sound of Aaron's footsteps faded.

"If I can ask ya one first."

Somewhat surprised, Atalaya halted the search for a balm for her cut. She stared at Kitsune for a couple of seconds before nodding. "Shoot."

"Why didn't ya correct that kid when he called ya 'mister'?"

"Oh." Atalaya rolled her shoulders and resumed her search. "Old habit," she said. "The people of my village used to tease me to no ends about how a _girl_ can't become the Pirate King. So I figure, if no one can tell I'm actually a girl, there should be no problems. Seems like it's working, though," she added and grinned.

"'S that so." Kitsune picked up a roll of bandaid and bounced it up and down in his hand a few times.

"Just out of curiosity, how did _you_ know I was a woman when you first saw me?" Atalaya wondered.

Kitsune snickered. "I'm observant," he said. "If someone would just take a quick look at ya, yer all male, but ya got some features only women have."

"Like what, give me an example," Atalaya demanded.

"Fer starters, I ain't never seen a man with such narrow shoulders," Kitsune said and started counting on his fingers. "Yer hands are way too small ta be a man's, yer upper body is too short, yer legs are-"

"Alright, alright, I got it, you're observant." Atalaya winced as she carefully smeared a soothing lotion over her wound. "So, all the things that make me more feminine are things I can't change," she sighed. "Great."

"Don't fret, sweetheart," Kitsune jingled. "I doubt many will actually care enough ta be as observant as I was."

"Is 'sweetheart' really a necessary nickname?" Atalaya growled.

Kitsune let out a bark of laughter. "Didn't ya wanna ask me somethin'?"

Atalaya sent him an irritated glare before nodding. "Yeah. Aaron says you saw him the night you destroyed all those boats. Why didn't you kill him?"

The smile disappeared from Kitsune's face and was replaced by a slight frown. He took his time before answering, as if he himself was searching for the answer. "I dunno, really," he said slowly. "Just didn't feel like it at the time, I s'pose."

"That's why I'm having a hard time believing you would be a demon," Atalaya said spitefully. "You've got a soft spot, a really tiny one, but I know it exists."

"Don't get yer hopes up high, sweetheart," Kitsune said maliciously and tilted his head to the side. "I could go downstairs an' kill 'em all right now if I wanted to, but I'm a man of my words, and I promised not to."

Atalaya scoffed, but didn't press the matter. She was busy preparing a needle and thread to sow her wound shut.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

At noon the next day, Kitsune and Atalaya stood at the docks with Aaron. They were waiting for the cargo ship, which was scheduled to arrive any minute now. Atalaya was tentatively bouncing up and down on her left leg, testing if it was healthy enough to walk on. She'd sown it shut last night and rolled a few bandaids over it, and the pain had almost vanished completely.

"Where are you going now?" Aaron asked.

"West Blue," Atalaya said. "The cargo ship stops at Wayward Island. I'm hoping to find a ship there. Or a navigator."

"What do you need a navigator for?"

"Can't go to the Grand Line without a navigator, can we?"

Aaron blinked a few times. "You're a pirate?" he asked in disbelief.

"Didn't I say that?" Atalaya scratched her neck and grinned. "Well, yeah, I... _we_ are pirates." She pointed at Kitsune. "I'm gonna become the Pirate King."

"Whoaa..."

"'S that our ride?"

Kitsune raised his hand and pointed towards the horizon, where a large ship with white sails had just shown itself.

"Yeah, that would be it." Atalaya grinned excitedly. "Finally, I can get closer to the Grand Line, and to One Piece."

The ship sailed closer and closer, and when the time for goodbyes came, Aaron gave Atalaya's hand a quick squeeze. He offered Kitsune a smile and waved at him before running back towards the village.

"Cute kid," Atalaya said as they boarded the cargo ship. "Might pay him a visit after I become king."

"Then ya gotta stay alive that long, sweetheart," Kitsune hummed.

Atalaya ignored him and leaned over the railing, eagerly looking out over the sea. "We'll need a navigator, a cook, a shipwright, a doctor... and a ship." She grinned at Kitsune. "Let's find a new crew mate and set sail for Grand Line."

"Aye aye, _cap'n_."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _A quick thanks to all my reviewers, I really appreciate you taking your time to pop a review, and they're always fun to read!_

_Have a nice wednesday!_


	9. Landing at West Blue!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _I'm a little confused; when I finish editing the episode, Open Office says I've written 1169 words, but when I upload it to FF's Doc Manager, it's only 1110... So if there are any missing words, don't blame me, blame the system! :D_

**episode nine – Landing at West Blue! Discover Wayward Island!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"End of the line, end of the line! We've reached Wayward Island in West Blue!"

Atalaya groaned sleepily and cracked an eye open. Dazzling sunlight leaked in through the small window of her cabin, effectively making the room hot as an oven. She slowly rose from her mattress and looked around. She located her scarf in the far corner of the cabin, and bent down to pick it up.

It had been four days since they'd left North Blue. The cargo ship had stopped at several small islands on the way, and to entertain themselves, Atalaya and Kitsune had spent their days out on deck, sparring and fighting each other.

Atalaya tied the scarf around her head and yawned loudly. "Kitsune?" She pushed the door open and found said man sitting on the railing just outside her cabin.

"Mornin', sweetheart," Kitsune said and looked at her over his shoulder.

"Hey." Atalaya inhaled deeply, humming as the fresh air made her muscles relax. "You've been up all night?"

"Nah, just got here. We've arrived at Wayward Island."

"Yeah, I heard." Atalaya tugged at the collar of her jacket. "Is it just me, or is it really warm out here?"

"This is normal weather fer West Blue," Kitsune said and smirked. "Compared ta North Blue though, it's hot as hell."

"That's what I thought. Let me just..." Atalaya grabbed the right sleeve of her jacket and tore it straight off. "Much better," she sighed and did the same thing to the left sleeve. "Shall we?" she said and gestured towards the shore.

"Ya know anythin' 'bout this place?" Kitsune asked.

"Nope."

"So, we're just gonna walk around till we find a village?"

"Yup."

"Arite."

They waved goodbye to the sailors of the cargo ship and walked ashore. The scenery presented to them was beautiful, with wide fields full of flowers, lush forests and small mountains.

"First time I've ever seen flowers," Atalaya stated and bent down to pluck a small blue flower from the ground. She twirled it around in her fingers a few times before crushing it and tossing it over her shoulder. "Fragile... alright!" She looked around. "Where do you think the nearest village is?"

She looked at Kitsune, who shrugged in reply. "Dunno," he said. "Choose a direction and start walkin', sweetheart."

"Cheers," Atalaya grinned and inhaled deeply. "South from here, there's a lake," she said and started walking. "Someone's bound to live close to a lake, right?"

"Ya caught the scent of a lake?" Kitsune wondered.

"I suppose? Or maybe it's animal instinct, you know, to find water as soon as possible."

"Does yer Devil's Fruit ability affect ya even when yer not really usin' it?"

Atalaya brought her hand up and rubbed her forehead. "I think so," she said absentmindedly. "I think I never bothered to learn how to completely suppress it, so my nose and ears are as sensitive as a sabertooth tiger's. Clearly I've got the instinct part as well. Is that bad?"

"Nah, if it's been workin' so far, I don't think it's harmful," Kitsune snickered. "I was just surprised."

"Why?"

Kitsune didn't answer, much to Atalaya's dismay. She glared at him from the corner of her eyes, and suddenly, she wanted to rub that constant smile off his face. It was not natural, how he could always be grinning like that.

Atalaya sighed and pushed those thoughts away. Whatever the reason, Kitsune could do as he liked, as long as he behaved as a proper crew member.

They walked for a good hour before arriving at a trail. They had relied on Atalaya's sense of smell, which had brought them through a forest and a field of tall grass.

"Finally," Atalaya sighed and bent over to stretch. "I thought we were never gonna get out of there."

"If I still had my katana, I could'a cut through the grass," Kitsune said tantalizingly.

"Ah yes." Atalaya smirked at him and started to move along the trail. "But if you'd still have your katana, I'd probably be dead. So sorry, but I prefer the tall grass."

Kitsune tipped his head back and released a bark of laughter. "Touché," he said. "Just remember ta buy me a new one."

"Buy it yourself. What makes you think I could afford a sword?"

They kept bickering as they moved along the trail, and didn't stop until they reached a crossroads. The road split in five directions, and a tall sign with several arrows was placed in the middle of it.

"That's helpful," Atalaya grumbled and circled the sign a few times. When she finally stopped, a crease appeared on her forehead. "There are only five roads to take, but seven signs."

Kitsune walked up to her and observed the sign. "There's one extra pointing towards the mountains," he stated and followed the direction of a stray sign. "Noroi mountain."

"It says Noroi'_s_ mountain," Atalaya corrected him. "Noroi must be a person."

She stared at the high outcrop, but before she could even begin to fathom where this odd name came from, Kitsune broke her train of thought. "The other stray sign leads towards the forest," he said and pointed. "Roa."

"Who?"

"The sign says 'Roa'."

Atalaya frowned. "Well, that isn't the village for sure," she said and shrugged. "Let's see..." She grabbed hold of the lowest sign and hoisted herself up from the ground to read the highest ones. "Oh, there would've been a trail leading from the docks," she stated.

"I'm shocked," Kitsune said sarcastically.

"Yajirushi village, that could be the capital," Atalaya said and jumped down to the ground again. "In the same direction we were walking. Towards the lake."

Kitsune's smile grew wider. "Don't sound so smug, sweetheart."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"See, there's Yajirushi village. I told you it would be near a lake."

Kitsune sighed. "So ya did," he said. "And I never said it wouldn't be."

Atalaya shook her head and hummed at the view presented to them. Yajirushi village was located in a valley, surrounded by high mounds. The north side of the village was surrounded by a small lake, and all together with the beautifully spiraling trail that lead to the town gave off a vibe of perfection.

"Down there we might have our next crew mate." An excited grin graced Atalaya's lips, and she hummed in delight as she started trotting down the hill.

"And my new katana?" Kitsune jingled as he followed her.

"Don't start again."

"Whatever ya say, sweetheart."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Have a nice weekend, and see ya on monday. Cheers!_


	10. Arrive at Yajirushi Village!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Monday again... Oh well! Here's a new episode to set off your week into a good direction!_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode ten – Arrive at Yajirushi village! Lyra's request and the boy named Roa!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Oh, yeah." Atalaya stopped dead in her tracks and Kitsune almost walked into her. "Could you not call me sweetheart while we're here?" she asked. "As I said before, I don't want people finding out I'm a girl, and 'sweetheart' is kind of an obvious nickname..."

Kitsune raised an eyebrow in expectation, and Atalaya sighed deeply. "I'll buy you your katana," she muttered.

"Square deal, cap'n," Kitsune chimed and strolled past her.

"Now would be a good time to erase that nickname all together, don't you think?" Atalaya suggested as they walked along the winding trail. "After we get out of here, just keep calling me captain."

"'T would take a helluva lot of swords ta get me ta agree ta that. I don't think ya would be able ta afford it, _sweetheart_."

"Alright, fine," Atalaya sighed. "But whenever we're in public, don't call me that." They had almost reached the houses by now, but they were too busy bickering to notice. "When we're on the ship, you can call me whatever you like as long as-"

She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence before she collided with something and was knocked off her feet. She landed painfully on her butt, and she grit her teeth in frustration when the sound of Kitsune's laughter reached her ears.

"Shut it, Kitsune," she muttered and raised her head to search for whatever she'd walked into.

A young man was sitting on the ground in front of her. He was rubbing his chin, which was quickly turning red. He had long blonde hair, tied into a sloppy braid down his back. He was slender, but his arms were muscular, indicating he spent his free time lifting heavy things.

Atalaya got to her feet and offered her hand to the stranger. "Sorry about that," she said. "I wasn't paying attention."

A deep scowl flashed on the man's face, and he swatted Atalaya's hand away. "Damn right you weren't," he snarled and straightened his back. He was just barely taller than Atalaya, but somehow he still managed to look down on her. "The hell, can't you even keep your eyes on the-"

"Roa!"

The man flinched and whirled around. The door to the closest house had opened, revealing an old lady with a very aggravated expression. "Get back in the house right now!" she called, her wrinkled face pulled into a sneer.

"Not happening, old lady!" the youngster shouted back, suddenly completely oblivious to Atalaya, who was following the scene with raised eyebrows. "I don't give a shit what you think, I'm out of here!"

"Oi." Atalaya placed a hand on his shoulder. "You shouldn't talk to an elder like that," she said coldly.

The man looked at her like he'd never seen a human before. Then, his scowl returned and he squirmed out of Atalaya's hold. "Don't meddle in things you know nothing about, bastard," he hissed before shoving past her and stalking away from the village.

Both Atalaya and Kitsune stared after him until the old lady walked up to them. "I must apologize," she said and bowed her head. "May I ask who you are?"

"That's Kitsune," Atalaya said and gestured towards him. "And I'm Atalaya. We're pirates."

The old lady raised an eyebrow. "Pirates, you say?" She took a few seconds to slowly scan both of them, her eyes lingering at Kitsune's bloodied clothes, before smiling. "Would you care to join me for tea?" she asked.

Somewhat surprised, Atalaya nodded. "Sure."

They followed the lady into her house. She lead them through the hall and into the living room, where she directed them to the table. "Please take a seat," she said and stalked off to what must've been the kitchen.

"This ain't how I expected people ta treat pirates," Kitsune commented and looked around in the petite room.

"Agreed," Atalaya said. "She might want something from us. Let's wait and see."

Five minutes later, they were all seated around the small table, each with a steaming cup of tea in front of them.

"I apologize for dragging you here like this," the old lady said. "My name is Shuusun Lyra. That youngster just now was my grandchild, Shuusun Roa."

"Ah." Atalaya leaned back in her chair. "What's his problem?"

Lyra chuckled. "Please don't think too badly of him," she said. "He has inherited his father's temper, and he takes it out on everybody around him."

A brief silence settled in the room, and Atalaya used the time to take a sip from her tea. She had no idea what to say, but Lyra was looking from her to Kitsune like she waited for something.

"Why didja invite us here?" Kitsune suddenly asked, and Atalaya would've scolded him for his tone if she wouldn't have been so curious to hear the answer. "'S not normal ta ask pirates in fer tea, is it?"

Lyra observed him for a while before smiling. "You are correct," she said. "I would like to ask you to help my grandson with something."

"There we go."

Atalaya glanced at Kitsune before raising her voice. "You're asking strangers, _pirates_, for a favor," she stated. "What makes you think we'd help?"

"I have something you might have use for." Lyra slid down from her chair and walked over to a dresser. She carefully opened it and pulled out an ornate sheath of a long katana. The lines of Kitsune's face instantly became more well-defined, and if he would open his eyes, Atalaya knew he'd be staring at the sword with wide eyes.

"You need this, right?" Lyra said and set the katana down the table in front of Kitsune. "I can tell from the way you move, not to mention your bloodied clothes, you're a swordsman."

Kitsune carefully ran his fingers over the weapon. The grip was shaped by ten small snakes that spiraled up to the cross guard, where the snakes leaned back to form a durable circle.

"One of the O Wazamono," he mumbled. "Hebi Kotei."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _O Wazamono includes the 21 great swords of the world (or something like that). Hebi Kotei is japanese for Snake Emperor._

_I created the deviantART page! I run by the same name, teruul, and I'm in the process of uploading all my stories there. Pictures will most likely begin appearing tomorrow, I just need to scan them at school. The link's coming up on my profile right about now!_

_Have a nice evening, and see you on wednesday!_


	11. Lyra's tale

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _I've posted a picture of Atalaya on my deviantART page here; teruul . Deviantart . com, click on the only picture you see on the left side of the page, and once the picture opens, klick the picture again to zoom out. All information can be found in the description of the picture, along with Atalaya's personal theme song!_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode eleven – Lyra's tale! The Yodokuna clan and the Shuusun clan!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"This katana has been passed down in my family since its existence," Lyra explained. "My given name is Yodokuna Lyra. Yodokuna is an old clan of swordsmen, and each generation has used that sword."

"How come you want to give up such a precious weapon?" Atalaya asked.

"The Yodokuna clan has no further need for it." Lyra smiled sweetly and withdrew a picture from her pocket. "That's me and my husband, Shuusun Rei, on the day of our wedding," she said and handed the picture to Atalaya. "Our marriage was arranged by our parents, with the means to join together two of the ruling clans of West blue, the Yodokuna clan and the Shuusun clan."

Lyra paused and took a sip of her tea. "The Shuusun clan only uses bows and arrows," she continued. "When I was younger, I was trusted with this katana, and I kept using it until I became too old. My children, whose names were Shuusun, never got the chance to even hold it. They were all trained in archery."

"Can't you give it to someone else from the Yodokuna clan?"

"Oh no," Lyra said with a quiet giggle. "The one who is trusted with it may never give it to another clan member. It would be high treason if I gave it to my sister's children."

"But it's okay to give it to a complete stranger?" Atalaya asked in disbelief.

Lyra nodded. "There are no rules against that in the clan," she said.

Atalaya fell silent and looked over at Kitsune, who obviously was too occupied to examine the katana to listen to even a word Lyra was saying. He had pulled the sword halfway out of it's sheath, and was using his thumb to lightly prod the sharp edge.

A sigh escaped Atalaya's lips and she let the picture flutter down into the table. "What would you have us do?" she asked.

Lyra's eyes widened. "Does that mean you'll help me?" she asked slowly.

"I didn't say-"

"Yes."

Both Atalaya and Lyra turned to stare at Kitsune. He slid the katana back into its holder with a loud _clack_ and smiled at Atalaya, who's expression hardened.

"This isn't up to you, Kitsune," she said sternly. "You're not the captain, remember?"

"Well, _cap'n_, it so happens that ya owe me a sword," Kitsune said gleefully. "If ya want me ta help ya become the Pirate King, I ain't gonna be much help with some random sword ya can buy fer 40,000 beli." He paused to poke Atalaya's shoulder with the katana. "I know ya want me ta be fully equipped, and a sword like this would cost ya about... 400,000 beli? Probably more."

Atalaya's frown softened as she realized he was right. This was a once in a lifetime chance for a superb weapon, and it would cost them nothing else than a favor. And she felt bad for Lyra, who obviously had no other option than to beg pirates for help.

A fem moments of silence passed before Atalaya sighed. "Alright," she said and smiled at Lyra. "We'll help you. But I'm not helping you because _he_ wants me to." She slapped the back of Kitsune's head. "Nor because of the reward. I'm helping you because I want to help you."

Lyra's eyes lit up and she bowed her head. "Thank you so much," she said, her voice thick with emotions. "I truly appreciate this."

"Second that," Kitsune jingled and slid his new katana through his belt. "Thanks, cap'n."

Atalaya grinned at Kitsune before turning back to Lyra. "So, what _would_ you have us do?"

"Ah, yes." Lyra quickly rubbed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. "As I said, I want you to help my grandchild, Roa, with something. He's been more aggressive lately, and, although he hasn't told me anything, I think it has to do with his bow."

She withdrew another picture from her pocket. It showed a young boy with blonde hair, who was clutching an ornate bow to his chest. "That's Roa when he was seven years old. The bow he's holding is another relic from our family. Just as this katana has been passed from generation to generation in the Yodokuna clan, that bow has been passed through the Shuusun clan. My son, Roa's father, gave it to Roa before he passed away, and Roa values it higher than anything else, his life included."

Atalaya examined the bow in the picture. It seemed to be made of some sort of black material, and a faint green glow emitted from the handle. "What makes you think it has anything to do with his behavior?" she asked.

"Lately, Roa hasn't been carrying it around. He has always kept it strapped over his shoulder, even when he had no use for it. He won't tell me anything, but I fear it's been stolen."

"Stolen?"

Lyra nodded. "Before he started acting up, he used to come down to the village once a day to sell whatever he hunted, but now he can disappear for days at the time. My guess is, he's searching for the person who stole the bow from him."

"He doesn't live in the village?" Atalaya asked.

"Ya saw the sign when we got here, right?" Kitsune piped up. "A stray sign pointed at the forest. That's where that brat lives, yeah?" He arched an eyebrow at Lyra, who nodded once more.

"Yes," she said. "His father raised a house in the woods when Roa was born. Said it would make the boy strong, to live deep within the forest."

Atalaya hummed and rocked back and forth on her chair a couple of times. "Well," she said and stood up. "I suppose we'd better head out. If we're gonna help him, we might as well start now."

"Aye, cap'n."

"Thank you," Lyra said again. "I hope you can find a way to help Roa. And please," she added as they were heading for the door. "Try not to mind his temper. I know he loves to provoke others, but..."

"Got it." Atalaya smiled at her before walking outside. "Well then," she said when the door closed behind Kitsune. "That katana should be more than enough leverage for you to stop calling me sweetheart, don't you think?"

Kitsune chuckled. "There ain't a fancy enough katana in the world fer that, sweetheart," he said. "But it's enough ta keep me from callin' ya that in public."

Atalaya ignored him and started moving towards the mountains. "I leave you in charge of watching my temper when we find that idiot," she said and sent Kitsune a smirk over her shoulder. "Let's go make ourselves worthy of Lyra's reward."

"Right behind ya."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Have a great rest of the week, see you friday!_


	12. The raging archer!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _New picture up at DeviantART, this time of Kitsune! Check it out here; teruul. deviantart. com_

_Oh, I can't remember if I remembered to put a translation of Hebi Kotei (Kitsune's new katana) in the previous chapter or the chapter before that, but in case I didn't, Hebi Kotei means Snake Emperor. :D_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twelve – The raging archer! Enter Shuusun Roa!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

After leaving Yajirushi Village, they followed the trail back to the signs. "We're supposed ta find him inside all that?" Kitsune asked as they arrived at the edge of the large forest. "Think yer nose's good enough?"

Atalaya smirked. "I can already sense his house," she said, repeatedly sucking in deep breaths as if she'd been running. "The varnished wood smells differently, making it insanely easy to track down."

"Lead the way then, sweetheart."

"You said you'd stop-"

"We ain't in public now, are we?" Kitsune chuckled at Atalaya's expression and raised his hands in defeat. "Arite, arite, I'll stop."

"You better," Atalaya muttered and started walking towards the trees.

She tried to keep her focus on her target, but she'd never been inside such a lush forest before. On her island, all the trees were frozen the whole year around, but here, there were tall trees with leaves in every existing shade of green, bushes with berries, and the moss underneath her feet was squishy with the morning damp.

After a few minutes of walking, Atalaya's nostrils were suddenly filled with an incredibly strong smell. She cursed loudly and clamped her hands over her nose, feeling her eyes fill with water.

"What's the matter, sw- cap'n?" Kitsune asked and leaned forward to look at her face.

"T-there's a hideous smell coming from that direction," Atalaya hissed and nodded towards a small glade hidden behind a couple of big, strong trees. "That's gotta be where he lives. The smell is to keep away unwanted animals."

"Really?" Kitsune inhaled deeply and chuckled. "I can't smell a thing..."

"Good for you," Atalaya growled through her fingers. "I feel like puking."

"Endure," Kitsune jingled and walked ahead of her. "Maybe the smell's weaker at his place."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Dunno what yer talkin' 'bout..."

Atalaya blinked rapidly to get rid of the tears in her eyes. Still muttering under her breath, she squeezed her nostrils together with her fingers and followed after Kitsune. "Gonna have to track him down now," she said. "I'm not inhaling this scent again."

"Ah, well, I'm sure he'll find us before we get lost," Kitsune said casually. "If he's a hunter, his hearin' should be good enough ta have heard yer exclaim just now."

"Fantastic, let's just sit here and wa-"

Her sentence was cut off when a knife was buried into the ground between her feet. Surprised, she stared at the dagger for a few seconds before tipping her head back and eyeing the nearest tree. "Did you miss me on purpose?" she asked loudly.

The young man from before slid down from the lowest branch and landed neatly before her. "What the hell do you want?" he growled and bent down to pick up his weapon.

Atalaya smiled coldly. "Nice to meet you too, Roa," she said.

Said man flinched and instantly straightened his back. "How do you know my name?" he asked and rolled the knife around in his hand. "Who are you?" he added.

Atalaya simply raised an eyebrow and waited for Roa to recognize her. It wasn't long before realization hit him. "You're the one from before..." he said slowly.

"I am," Atalaya said and nodded. "And I think you owe me an apology."

"Why the hell should I apologize to _you_?" he spat out, his blue eyes almost shining in rage. The knife in his hand was instantly lifted and pointed at Atalaya's chest. "You bumped into _me_, so you're the one at fault here!"

"I'm not talking about that, idiot," Atalaya sighed. "From the way you treated your grandmother, I think you should apologize for acting like such a bastard in public."

A deep scowl appeared on Roa's face. "You should learn your place," he snarled before dashing forward and swinging the knife, aiming for Atalaya's neck.

Atalaya simply grinned, and just as the dagger was about to touch her skin, Kitsune unsheathed Hebi Kotei and stepped forth, using the blunt side of the blade to crush the knife. The power of the blow made Roa stumble backwards, and he crouched down to keep from falling over.

"Huh, this works perfectly," Kitsune said gleefully and swung the katana around a few times before pointing it at Roa. "I think ya need ta take it easy."

"That's..." Roa's eyes widened at the sight of the sword. "That's the old lady's... why the hell do you have that?" he demanded, obviously agitated.

"Stole it."

"What the-"

"No, we didn't!" Atalaya smacked the back of Kitsune's head and none too gently pushed him to the side, where he stood cackling at his own joke. "We didn't steal it," she said. "That's just his sense of humor."

"Then how come he's holding the sword that belongs to the old lady?" Roa asked darkly.

Atalaya observed him for a moment. "She gave it to us," she said.

Pure shock danced over Roa's face. "Why would she..."

"It was a bargain," Atalaya said. "We got the sword in return for coming here to help you with... whatever it is you need help with."

Roa stared at her for ten long seconds before the scowl appeared on his face again. "I don't need your help," he growled.

"Maybe not, but _we_ need to help _you_."

"Piss off," Roa snapped and turned his back on them both, disappearing into the depths of the forest.

They stood still until the sound of his footsteps faded. "That went well," Atalaya sighed. She tentatively let go of her nose and winced at the smell. "Got any ideas on how to convince him?" she asked and watched as Kitsune slid his katana back into its holder.

"No clue," he said. "That guy clearly doesn't want our help, so can't we just-"

"No." Atalaya started walking in the same direction Roa had. "We promised we'd help him, and help him we will," she said. "Even if we have to do so forcibly."

Kitsune stared after her for a few seconds, unmoving. Then a chuckle rolled through his teeth and he shook his head. "Yer a weird pirate, sweetheart," he mumbled before following her.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Have a wonderful weekend, and pop a review if you feel like it~_


	13. Help the stubborn archer!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode thirteen – Help the stubborn archer! Atalaya versus Roa!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"We gon' sit here and wait all day?"

"If that's what it takes, yes."

Kitsune sighed. They had found Roa's house nearly three hours earlier, but they hadn't attempted to get close to him. They knew he'd just get enraged and drive them away again.

Instead, they had stalked around the house for a couple of hours before finally settling down on a low branch of a nearby tree.

"There's no need to sigh," Atalaya frowned. "We'll get down when he decides to move in on the thief. Since we have no idea who stole his bow, and he won't let us help him, we'll simply follow him."

Kitsune's smile grew at her logic, but Atalaya was too focused on the small house to notice. She had plugged her nose to block out the intense smell that surrounded the house, but she could hear Roa stomping around inside, and she knew he was preparing to go and retrieve his bow. The occasional sound of metal scraping against stone indicated he was sharpening a knife, which only purpose could be to kill the thief.

"We promised we'd help him," Atalaya said curtly when she sensed Kitsune was about to say something. "We might be pirates, but we're not thieves."

Kitsune parted his lips to protest, but his voice was drowned from the sound of the house's door opening with exaggerated force. It slammed against the opposite wall, making the windows rattle.

"He looks mighty pissed off, dont'cha think?" Kitsune whispered and leaned over the branch to get a good look at the blonde.

"Yes, he does," Atalaya agreed and a small grin graced her lips. Roa was indeed looking more furious than before, and Atalaya found it somewhat amusing. The plants underneath the man's feet seemed to bend away from his presence alone.

"Time to go," she said and jumped down to the ground. She landed gracefully on all four a bit from Roa, who flinched and whirled around to glare at her.

"What're you still doing here?" he growled and closed the door to his house, his eyes narrowing when Kitsune appeared next to her. "I told you to piss off, didn't I?"

"So you did," Atalaya smirked. "But who made you the master of me?"

Roa opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind. He turned his back to them both and started moving away from them, towards the village.

"We're gonna follow you until we find an opportunity to help," Atalaya stated as she trotted after him. "So you might as well tell us what to do."

"It's none of your damn business."

Atalaya's smile widened at the badly suppressed anger in his tone. This guy had some serious problems managing his anger, and Atalaya wondered how many times it had gotten him into trouble. _And_ how badly he was teased for it.

"Come on, Roa, you'd just save yourself some time," she said tantalizingly.

"Don't call me by my name when we don't know each other," Roa snapped without looking at her.

"You're pretty old-fashioned."

Silence followed this statement, and Atalaya sighed. "Did I hit a nerve?" she asked.

A soft chuckle made her glance over at Kitsune, who had been quietly following them. "Something funny?" Atalaya asked.

"I think the reason he ain't answerin' yer question _or_ lookin' at ya is because ya stuffed yer nose full of paper," he jingled. "Sorry ta say, but ya look ridiculous."

"I'd rather have that than feeling like constantly being shot in the nose," Atalaya grumbled, but as soon as they were out of range of the overwhelming scent, she removed her nose plugs and inhaled deeply. "That's better," she hummed. Her eyes focused on Roa's back, and she frowned when she saw all the knives he had tied to his belt.

In a matter of minutes, they reached the edge of the forest, and Atalaya sped up and grabbed hold of Roa's wrist. "You're really not gonna let us help?" she asked.

A sound of frustration rolled through Roa's teeth and he turned around, but before he could even begin to free his limb, Kitsune placed his hand on Atalaya's shoulder and pulled her backwards.

"Leave him be, cap'n," he said. "It'll be much faster ta just follow him, never mind what he wants."

Atalaya sighed, but complied. She released her hold on Roa and was surprised to see him stare at her with wide eyes. All the anger seemed to melt away, quickly to be replaced by what Atalaya interpreted as disbelief and curiosity.

"What... what did he just call you?" Roa asked of her.

Atalaya exchanged a confused glance with Kitsune before responding. "Oh, you mean 'captain'?" She grinned and proudly straightened her back. "My name is Atalaya," she said. "That's Kitsune. We're pirates."

"Pirates..?"

For almost a full minute, Roa stood completely still, staring from Atalaya to Kitsune and back again. Then, he shook his head, the usual scowl appearing on his face again. "Yeah, right," he huffed. "A crew of two men, huh?"

Atalaya crossed her arms over her chest, her smile widening. "I don't need you to believe me," she said simply. "I know who I am, and that's enough for me."

"Don't go all philosophical on me," Roa said and spat on the ground between them. "Someone like you could never be a pirate. You're just a shitty little liar."

The grin disappeared from Atalaya's lips and she grabbed hold of Roa's wrist once more and yanked him closer, so that there was only a few inches of space between them. "You know, you're entitled to believe what you want, and I'll respect your choice," she growled. "But let me give you a piece of advice that might one day save your life; keep your thoughts to yourself when you don't know who you're talking to, because _disrespecting_ a _pirate_ is something you really _don't_ want to do."

Roa parted his lips to speak, but nothing came out. He seemed to shrink a little under Atalaya's gaze, and when he finally released himself from her hold, the rage had vanished from his features. They glared at each other for a few more seconds before he turned on the heel and started walking towards the sign.

"Quite hotheaded, the both of ya," Kitsune said gleefully. "But at least it seems he's lettin' us follow him now."

"That was the point," Atalaya said with a smug grin. "Let's go."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Have a nice beginning of the week, and see you on wednesday!_


	14. Start the climb!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fourteen – Start the climb! The thief of Noroi's Mountain!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

They followed Roa to the sign, which he passed without even looking at it. Atalaya stopped momentarily to observe the path he'd chosen. "He's following the other stray sign," she said and looked at his walking figure. "Towards Noroi's Mountain."

"Naturally," Kitsune said. "I'd be surprised if the thief would be hidin' in the village."

Atalaya ignored his sarcastic tone and resumed walking. "I wonder what he's got against pirates," she said after a few moments. "He seemed pretty shaken when I told him _we_ were pirates."

"Maybe it ain't somethin' he's got _against _pirates. I think he's interested in 'em."

"You think so? A boy from a long family of samurais, archers and whatnot?"

"Just sayin'. He seemed ta feel we weren't living up ta his expectations of pirates. Until, a'course, ya got all worked up and stared him down," Kitsune snickered.

"Hmm..." Atalaya constantly kept her eyes on Roa's back as they drew closer and closer to Noroi's Mountain. He seemed to know exactly where to go, not once even turning his head to the sides.

After a good ten minutes of silent walking, they arrived at the base of the mountain. There were no visible trails leading on from here, but Atalaya could make out a few walkable paths. Roa, however, had stopped walking and was busy looking around.

"You're not gonna go?" Atalaya asked as they walked closer to him.

"You're still following me?" Roa sighed, although most of the previous hostility had vanished from his tone. He seemed more impatient than angry.

"Until our debt is payed off, yeah."

Roa only shook his head and kept observing his surroundings. Feeling a hint of impatience crawling through her body, Atalaya crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back on her heels. "Let me guess," she said. "You've got no sense of direction and don't know how to get up there?"

"What?!" Roa turned to face her with a defiant expression. "I'll have you know my sense of direction is superior to anyone on this island," he huffed and pointed at himself. "I've sailed to East Blue on my own in a tiny sailboat when I was thirteen, and I made it back without a single scratch!"

Atalaya arched an eyebrow in surprise, and a grin appeared on her lips. "Really, now," she said slowly. "That's quite impressive." She observed him silently for a few more seconds before raising her voice again. "But then why aren't you going up there?" she asked and nodded towards the mountain.

A slightly embarrassed look flashed over Roa's face before he turned his back to them again. "I... that's..."

"Ah, I see."

Atalaya flinched as Kitsune had spoken right into her ear. He was standing right behind her, and she internally both cursed and congratulated him for being able to mask his presence so well.

"That ol' lady from the village said he uses a bow, right?" he said, the spiteful undertone in his voice clear as daylight. "Since his bow's stolen, he ain't got the power ta fight whoever might be hidin' in the mountains. Correct?"

Roa didn't answer, but Atalaya could see him clench his fists. "Oh, that's what it is," she said. She rocked back and forth on her feet a few times before grinning widely. "Alright." She nodded at Kitsune before stepping forward, casually walking towards Roa.

"Wha- what are you doing?" he asked.

"Nothing, really," Atalaya hummed as she passed him. "Just got the sudden impulse to climb this mountain, that's all."

As if frozen, Roa stood completely still until Kitsune strolled past him and offered him a cold smile. "Wait a second." Roa raised his voice and took a few steps closer to Atalaya. "I already said I don't want your help!"

"And I already said I just feel like climbing this mountain," Atalaya replied with a wide grin. "If there happen to be any... _hostile forces_, I'll just take them down."

"But-"

"Would ya can it, blondie?" Kitsune piped up. "We're doin' ya a favor, ya don't even have ta thank us, so just stop resistin' already."

"Don't you look down on me, you son of a-"

"No one's looking down on anyone!" Atalaya said loudly and stepped in between Kitsune and Roa. "Okay, he might be," she added and flickered her head in Kitsune's direction. "But he's an ass, so just ignore what he says, okay?"

"That makes me so sad, cap'n."

"Yeah, I can hear you're all heartbroken," Atalaya frowned and turned to face her first mate. "Stop messing with him, would you? Go ahead and find us a suitable path or something, as long as you make yourself useful."

"Roger that."

"Good." Atalaya turned back to Roa and reached out her hand. "I know you don't want us to help you, and that's completely understandable," she said with a shrug. "But why don't you use us instead?"

"Use you?"

"Yeah, you know, use us to get what you want. Like chess pawns. The king plays the other pawns to defend himself. Not that I'm not declaring you king," Atalaya added with a crooked smile.

Roa hesitated only for a moment before taking her hand and shaking it. "Fine," he said. "But I'm not gonna thank you."

"Like I said, ya don't-"

"I wasn't talking to you, fox face!"

Kitsune tilted his head back and laughed. "Touchy, touchy," he snickered and stalked off towards the rocky hill.

"So." Atalaya released Roa's hand and gestured him to follow Kitsune. "What can you tell me about the... uh, _scenery_ in this mountain?" she asked in a less than successful attempt to be subtle.

"Alright, you can skip that," Roa said. "Now that I'm _using_ you, I might as well tell you what's up." He sped up a little and pointed at the top of the mountain. "You probably figured it out already, but this mountain belongs to Noroi. At first, this place was called Shuukuna Mountain, you know, after the two joined clans."

"Shuusun and Yodokuna, yes."

"Yeah. But a few weeks ago, this Noroi person showed up and claimed the mountain for herself."

"So Noroi really is a person?" Atalaya asked sceptically. "Noroi, as in curse?"

Roa nodded. "I don't know if that's her real name, but that's what we call her around here."

"Why?"

"Well..." Roa scratched his neck, the embarrassed look reappearing on his face. "She's... or that's what they all say... she's a warlock."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Leave a review if you like it, and have a nice end of the week!_


	15. The enemy is a witch?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifteen – The enemy is a witch?! Beware Noroi's followers!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya stopped dead in her tracks, and she could hear Kitsune snort from up ahead. "A warlock," she repeated sceptically. "A witch?"

"I didn't start that rumor!" Roa instantly bristled at their dull reactions. "But everyone who's come in contact with her have gotten cursed!"

"Come on, you can't seriously-"

"Okay then, how would _you_ explain the sickness that befalls everyone who sees her?" Roa seethed. "She says some random words, and the next thing you know, the person in front of her falls ill!"

Atalaya didn't answer. She just stared at Roa, trying to figure out how much was true. "Alright," she said and resumed walking. "So what could she use your bow for?"

After glaring at her a while longer, Roa sighed. "I don't know," he said. "I mean, it's valuable as hell, but other than that, it's just an ordinary bow."

"It doesn't have any special features or anything?"

"Apart from the poison, no."

"What poison?" Atalaya asked.

"Oh. Each of the archers in the Shuusun clan have used poisonous arrows," Roa explained. "In my case, I found a small hole in the bow which would be perfect for storing a few drops of poison. That way, I don't have to separately coat my arrows, I just drip the poison on when I nock the arrow."

"Sneaky."

Roa scoffed. "This coming from a pirate?"

"All pirates aren't bad, you know," Atalaya said and grinned. "Some of us are actually pretty nice people."

"What, like fox face over there?"

"I heard that," Kitsune called over his shoulder. "Ya should play nice, blondie. Some of us ain't as patient as the cap'n, some of us just do what pirates are expected ta do."

"Luckily, we aren't part of that 'some'," Atalaya said before Roa could retort. "Look, if we want to get your bow back, we're gonna have to move quietly. If what we're dealing with is a _warlock_, our best shot is the element of surprise."

"Be a li'l late fer that, cap'n," Kitsune said gleefully.

Atalaya groaned. "How so?"

"Cos there's two guys standin' in front of me, and I don't think they're here ta ask fer directions."

It took Atalaya a few seconds to process his words. She quickly moved up to where he was standing, only to find herself face to face with two large men dressed in robes, their bulging muscles visible even underneath the thick fabric.

"What is your business here?" one of them asked.

Atalaya opened her mouth, changed her mind, and closed it again. _Think smart._ "We..." She cleared her throat and applied a leisure expression. "We're here to see-"

Her sentence was interrupted as she was suddenly, not to mention roughly, pushed to the side. Roa had dashed up next to her, and now stood staring at the two strangers with such fury, Atalaya was surprised they didn't run away with their tails between their legs.

"I'm here to take my bow back!" he shouted, and Atalaya sighed. _Oh well_. "That Noroi person stole it, and we're gonna take it back!"

The two men chuckled simultaneously. "You're the brat from the Shuusun clan, aren't you?" the other said. "The weakling who couldn't even fight off our lowest ranked thieves?"

"Try to use a bow and arrows on ten close-ranged enemies, asshole," Roa snarled and reached around his waist to grab one of his knives, but before his fingers reached the hilt, Atalaya slapped his hand away.

"This is why you have us," she said and stepped in front of him. "Kitsune, you go for the right one, I'll take the left."

Kitsune smirked, and Atalaya grinned, shaking her head at the bloodlust he radiated. "Aye, cap'n," he said and unsheathed his katana.

Both men broke down laughing. "Oh my, brother," one of them said. "They think they can take us on."

"Absolutely hilarious, brother," the other responded. "And absolutely ridiculous."

At the exact same time, they grabbed the hem of each others' robes and pulled. The fabric slid off with ease, revealing two precisely identical men. Every single detail, from the hair down to the clothes, were the same.

"My name is Alpha," the one in front of Atalaya said.

"I am Omega," Kitsune's opponent said. "We are proud members of the Nora Clan, the clan who will conquer all of West Blue!"

"That's Kitsune," Atalaya said. "And I'm Atalaya. The one who will become the Pirate King," she added with wide grin.

Roa's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, and his jaw fell open. "The Pirate King?" he breathed out.

His expression was mirrored on both Alpha and Omega. For a second, everything was quiet, but then, the twins started laughing. "That's a very serious thing to say, brat," Omega chuckled. "Especially for someone like you."

"Someone like me?" Atalaya said and arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Alpha wheezed between laughs. "A scrawny little kid like you couldn't possibly become the Pi-"

Atalaya's grin turned feral and she broke away from the ground. Before Alpha could finish his sentence, she planted both of her feet in his face, the impact sending him flying down the rocky hill.

"Brother!" Omega shouted, his eyes widening in horror as he hurried to the edge of the trail and looked around for a sign of his twin. "Why, you little-" Enraged, he took a few steps towards Atalaya, who fixated him with a bored stare. "I'm gonna kill you!" he roared.

"Oi oi," Kitsune said and raised his sword. "Yer enemy is right here, big guy."

"I'll fight whoever I want to fight," Omega growled and pushed Kitsune aside, his attention fully placed on Atalaya.

"Whoever yer opponent might be..." Kitsune quickly stepped forward and slammed the blunt side of his sword into Omega's chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. "Never turn yer back on someone holding a katana."

Omega coughed and dropped to his knees. "That's it?" Atalaya asked. "This can't be all you got."

"You!" She looked over her shoulder to see Alpha raise himself from a nearby pile of rocks. "How dare you try to throw me down the mountain?!" he shouted.

"You were about to insult me," Atalaya said gravely. "Trust me, if I'd have let you finish that sentence, you'd be in a much worse state."

"Bastard..." Alpha hissed as he climbed back up to their level. "Come on, brother, let's teach them a lesson they won't soon forget!"

Omega swallowed thickly a few times before standing up and walking over to his side. "I'm with you, brother!" he said and spun around once before raising his arms to strike.

An exhilarated sound escaped Kitsune's lips, and even Atalaya couldn't fight the playful grin that graced her lips as she placed herself in a defensive stance. "That's more like it," she said.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Ah, my christmas break has finally arrived, so I'll have time to write/draw more of Race! Next time I'll post, it'll be christmas eve, so I might offer you an additional episode... who knows!_

_Have a nice weekend!_


	16. The dance floor of darts!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Merry christmas to you all! Hope you have a wonderful day!_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode sixteen – The dance floor of darts! Atalaya and Kitsune versus Alpha and Omega!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Don't you dare look down on us," Alpha said and offered Atalaya a confident grin. "So far our special technique goes undefeated."

"That's right," Omega piped up. "No one has ever survived our Dual Darts."

Somewhat amused, Atalaya arched an eyebrow. "'Dual Darts'?" she repeated. "Isn't the name kinda... revealing?"

"So you might think." Alpha's grin became devious as he reached inside his vest. "But let us see how well you can anticipate it based on the name."

He pulled out a handful of large, star-shaped shurikens. Atalaya's eyes narrowed as she watched him casually toss them over to his brother, constantly withdrawing more and more from inside his clothes.

"Roa," Atalaya mumbled without taking her eyes off the enemy. "I think you might wanna back up a bit."

Roa nodded and mumbled, "Be careful.", before setting a good distance between him and the twins.

"You should be more worried about yourselves," Omega cackled and started juggling with the shurikens. "Or else you might be hit!"

Timed with the last word, he aimed a shuriken at Kitsune's right leg. Kitsune dodged in with ease, simply taking a step to the side. "Yer gonna have ta do better than that," he jingled.

"Oh, I wouldn't taunt him," Alpha sneered. He had finally stopped handing away his shurikens. Both twins now stood with an impressive amount of knives in their arms, so much so it would become hard for them to move at all. "He's got quite the temper, my brother."

"As do you, brother," Omega chimed in. "Would you do the honors?"

"Absolutely."

With that, Alpha bent all the way down to the ground before jumping, the pile of shurikens in his arms wobbling threateningly. He kept leaping from rock to rock, finally settling high above Atalaya.

"Your turn, Omega," he called, and his twin preformed the same moves to get to the same height as he.

"I don't think this is bodes well for us," Atalaya mumbled as she crouched down a little. "Speed is our greatest asset here."

"Aw, don't start worryin', cap'n," Kitsune smirked. "We're still only dealin' with small fry, right?"

Atalaya chuckled. "Wasn't it you who said never to underestimate your enemy? Even when there is nothing to estimate?"

"Can't believe ya remember stuff like that." Kitsune rolled his shoulders. "Let's just see what these insects got ta offer, yeah?"

"Yeah." Atalaya inhaled deeply and straightened her back. "Let's see what you got," she called up to the twins.

Even from so far, she could spot the small twitch of anger in Alpha's left eyebrow. "Alright then, brother," he said, his voice dangerously smooth. "On the count of three?"

"Yes, brother. On one..."

"Two..."

"Three!"

With the exact same speed and the exact same smiles on their faces, they began throwing shuriken after shuriken down at the cramped space where Atalaya and Kitsune were standing. Their aim was far from perfection, but the force of their throws made it seem like the daggers were shot out of a canon.

"What happened to all your confidence, huh?" Alpha laughed and sent two shurikens flying at each of Kitsune's arms.

"This can't be their technique," Atalaya said as she bent back to avoid getting her nose pierced by a knife. "They're just randomly throwing these things..."

"When they run out of things ta throw, we can kill 'em easily." Kitsune's cheerful voice made Atalaya sigh.

"Do you ever take things seriously?" she muttered and tried to set down her foot without stepping on a shuriken. "Wait a second..." A crease appeared on her forehead and she took her eyes off the enemy for a second to observe her surroundings.

"Seems like you finally noticed!"

Atalaya cursed as she realized every inch of the ground, apart from the small pieces of ground she and Kitsune were standing on, were covered in long spikes. Even the mountain walls had become impaled, leaving no safe place to land.

"The dance floor of darts!" Omega sang and bounced up and down in excitement.

"And here comes the big question." Atalaya turned her attention back to the twins, who were holding two shurikens each. "Would you rather have _us_ impale you?" Alpha said.

"Or will you jump out of the way, and land on them yourselves?" Omega finished.

Atalaya was too concentrated to answer, and that seemed to entertain the twins. "Look, the little kid's scared stiff!" Alpha said and laughed. "Shall we end his life quickly, brother?"

"Don't count me out just yet," Atalaya said before Omega could answer. "Come on, hit me with your best shot!"

Identical sneers appeared on the twins' faces, and they gave no warning as they fired their daggers.

"Jump!" Atalaya yelled, and they both broke away from the ground just in time to avoid being impaled.

"Look, look, brother!" Omega called. "They're gonna kill themselves!"

"Hope ya got a plan, _sweetheart_," Kitsune hummed as gravity started pulling them down again.

"Land on my back, and don't miss," Atalaya said.

"... Ya sure?"

"On my back," Atalaya repeated snappishly. "My claws will take most of the damage."

Fur sprouted out of skin, her teeth grew and her hands morphed into heavily armed paws. She could hear the twins shout something, but she was too focused to hear. Her transformation was completed half a second before she landed, and she quickly extended her claws as far as possible.

Pain shot through her arms and legs, but she didn't pay it any attention. A second later, Kitsune landed on her furry back, and she sank a little further down the shurikens. "Hold onto something," she snarled and crouched down a little. "You take them out."

"Aye, cap'n," Kitsune said and grabbed a handful of her fur.

With a loud roar, Atalaya leaped off the ground. She could feel the wounds sting, but the sight of Alpha and Omega's shocked faces made the pain seem lesser. "Go, Kitsune," she growled as they reached the same height as the twins.

She felt Kitsune stand up straight on her shoulder blades. She grinned as she knew exactly what was coming.

"For the cap'n's hands," Kitsune declared and jumped off of Atalaya's back. "Fox Dance."

Atalaya didn't even need to watch to know the match was over. With the twins' cries in her ears, she focused her attention on the ground again, and was surprised to see Roa using one of his knives to clear a nice piece of ground for her to land on.

Roa backed away as far as he could and watched, wide-eyed, as Atalaya landed gracefully on all four. "You've eaten a Devil's Fruit?" he asked.

"No," Atalaya said sarcastically. "No, I just always get all hairy in a fight. Some kind of condition, I'm sure."

Roa looked like he wanted to start an argument, but the sight of her bleeding paws made him crouch down. "Does it hurt?"

"Come on, stop asking for the obvious answers, Roa," Atalaya scoffed and turned around. "Kitsune!" she shouted.

"I meant, will you be..."

He didn't finish his sentence, and Atalaya grinned at his attitude. "Nine lives," she said and morphed back into a human. "This isn't anything big."

"Ya called, cap'n?"

She turned around and saw Kitsune standing at the edge of the shurikens. "Yes, I did," she said. "Would you mind clearing away these things?"

"Roger that."

"Next up's the warlock, right?" Atalaya said confidently. "Ready to take back your bow?"

Roa stuck his knife back into his belt with a determined expression. "I'm ready."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _As a christmas gift to all of you, I'm adding one additional episode today! /gasp. It'll be up in half an hour or so._


	17. Find the secret hideout!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode seventeen – Find the secret hideout! Atalaya's words and Kitsune's thoughts!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Are you sure you'll be okay like that?"

Atalaya rolled her eyes and snorted. "For the third time, _yes_," she said. "Cats lick their wounds to help the mending process, right?"

"But you're not a cat," Roa said and wrinkled his nose as Atalaya dragged her tongue over her palm.

"No, but right now, my tongue is that of a cat's," Atalaya said and lolled out her tongue at him. "It feels just like a cat's, wanna try it?"

"Do I want to- what the hell?!" Roa sputtered and backed several steps. "I'm not gonna touch your _tongue_!" he hissed.

Atalaya released a bark of laughter. "You're way too fun to mess with," she said. Without giving Roa the chance to respond, she leaned back against the mountain wall. "You see anything, Kitsune?" she called.

After the battle against Alpha and Omega, Atalaya and Roa had found a secluded spot to rest while Kitsune was keeping watch. They needed to keep a low profile for a while, in case someone came down to see where the twins had gone off to.

"Nothin' so far, cap'n," Kitsune's voice came from high above them. "Doesn't look like anyone's comin' ta check on those two."

"How heartless," Atalaya scoffed and resumed the healing of her hands. She could feel Roa's eyes constantly staring at her, and it slowly started getting annoying. "Don't look at me like that," she finally sighed. "You want to get your bow back, right?"

"Of course I do!" Roa sounded downright offended.

"Well, this speeds up the recovery," Atalaya said and waved her hand in front of his face. "See, it's already getting better."

As much as Roa would've wanted to deny it, the wounds had stopped bleeding all together. They looked like old cuts someone had properly taken care of.

"Alright, alright," he said and turned the other way. "Just tell me when you're done, I don't wanna have to look at it."

"Who would've thought a hunter could be so prude..."

"I am not!"

Atalaya quickly reached over Roa's shoulder and covered his mouth. "We're supposed to be hiding," she said quietly. "Don't raise your voice like that."

Roa quickly squirmed out of her hold. He didn't say anything, but he glared at Atalaya's hand as if it had just insulted him.

"Better," Atalaya said and looked around. "Now, once Kitsune gets down, we'll be on the move..."

Barely had those words left her lips before Kitsune landed on a large rock next to her. "I don't think anyone's comin'," he said. "The way up is clear."

"Good." Atalaya shook both of her hands a few times before grinning widely. "As good as new," she hummed. "Alright, let's get moving."

They left the hiding spot and followed the path Kitsune pointed out for them. As they climbed higher, a somewhat eerie fog started forming around them. Atalaya kept her ears and nose constantly active to make sure they wouldn't be the victims of a surprise attack.

"So, Roa," she said to break the building tension. "You said Noroi curses people. How exactly..?"

"I'm actually not sure," Roa said. "She comes down from the mountain every now and then, and every person she comes across falls ill. There are never any wounds, and our doctor has no idea what could cause it. So, the villagers came to the conclusion she must be a warlock."

"There must be some kind of trick," Atalaya said absentmindedly. "Magic doesn't exist."

"This coming from the one who can transform into an overgrown cat?"

Atalaya laughed dryly. "Devil's Fruits are not magic," she said.

"Couldn't the warlock be usin' an ability?" Kitsune asked. "Like a Noroi Noroi no mi..."

"I've... never actually thought about that," Roa admitted. He looked somewhat puzzled for a few seconds before returning to reality. "That would be really bad, wouldn't it? To be able to curse people to the left and right..."

An uncomfortable silence settled between them. They had gotten quite high up by now, and the fog made it difficult to see further than a few feet ahead. The route they were taking was steadily taking them closer and closer to the top of the mountain, where they hopefully would find Roa's bow.

And the warlock.

"Can you hear something?" Atalaya mumbled after minutes of climbing.

They all stopped walking. Both Kitsune and Roa looked at Atalaya with perked curiosity. "I think... I can hear a fire," Atalaya said and cupped her hands around her ears. "Like a campfire or something..."

She started moving towards the sound, careful not to step on anything that could inform the enemy they were here. "Around the corner here..."

Atalaya gestured for Kitsune and Roa to stand still. She inhaled deeply, trying to catch scent of any enemies. When no smell at all reached her nose, she narrowed her eyes and, as soundlessly as she could, she peeked around the corner.

A spacious opening in the middle of the mountain stretched out in front of her. The mountain formed walls around the opening, perfectly hiding it from any onlookers. A large bonfire kept the fog away and lit up the opening. Dark cauldrons were placed along the walls, each with their own strangely colored substance.

"There's no one here," Atalaya stated and stepped out of her hiding. The place was empty, without even a sign of anyone living here for a while. "I don't think this is-"

"My bow!"

Roa dashed past Atalaya towards the mountain wall, where the ornate bow was hanging. He carefully grabbed the handle and took it down, holding it in his hands as if he was afraid it would explode. The string was gone, but other than that, it seemed untouched.

"Finally..." Roa mumbled and ran his hand over the sleek curves of the metallic weapon.

"Arite, now that he's got his bow back, we're free ta leave, right?" Kitsune asked. "There ain't no warlock around here ta beat up, so..."

"Well, then let's wait for her to return," Atalaya said and moved along the cauldrons, curiously peeking into each one. "It's none of our business, but I don't feel like letting the warlock get away with cursing people."

The lines of Kitsune's smile instantly became more well-defined, but he didn't say anything. Atalaya frowned at the change in his expression and crossed her arms over her chest. "Say what's on your mind, Kitsune," she said. "I might be the captain, but I'll still listen to my comrades."

"Nah, I was just thinkin'," Kitsune said and rolled his shoulders. "Ya really _are_ a weird kind of pirate."

"What do you mean, 'weird'?"

"Fer starters, a pirate would'a taken this katana from that ol' lady and walked away without even thinkin' of helpin' blondie over there." He nodded in Roa's direction. "Now ya wanna defeat someone who's got nothin' ta do with yer future journey?"

Atalaya furrowed her brow and tilted her head to the side. "Does that make me weird?" she asked.

"Fer a pirate, it does."

"Are you speaking from experience?"

Kitsune sighed. "I've never met a pirate before," he said. "But from what I heard, they're supposed ta be heartless bastards."

Atalaya chuckled. "Well, that doesn't sound so nice, does it?" she said and grinned. "I don't feel like being a heartless bastard, so I'm sticking to what I'm doing."

"That exactly makes ya weird, cap'n."

"Oi!"

Roa came dashing up to them, a concerned expression plastered on his face. "I think something's coming," he mumbled and looked over his shoulder.

Although she couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary, Atalaya felt it too. The presence of someone else, lurking in the shadows around them.

"Be on your guard," she said.

A cold breeze sent a shiver down her spine, and suddenly a high-pitched, girly voice echoed throughout the opening.

"_One, two, three, one, two, three, wonder who the cursed will be._"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Here it is, the second promised episode! I know most of you are probably celebrating christmas right now and won't notice these, but I'm uploading them all the same :) Enjoy, and once again, happy christmas!_

_*Kitsune mentions a Noroi Noroi no Mi, which would directly translate into a Curse Fruit._


	18. The Warlock appears!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode eighteen – The warlock appears! Atalaya versus Nora!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya became aware of the sound of footsteps, and before she could even extend her claws, they were surrounded. Over fifty men, all clad in the same dark robes, were lined up along the walls, effectively trapping all three of them in the middle.

A child-like laughter pulled their attention to the bonfire, where a shorter figure had appeared. "How easily you fell into my trap!" it said.

"Let me guess," Atalaya said casually. "You're Noroi, the _warlock_."

"You are almost correct," the figure said. "My name is not 'Noroi', I am Nora. The villagers named me Noroi, they even wrote it on that sign at the crossroads."

"Alright then, Nora." Atalaya chewed on her bottom lip for a few seconds, wondering how to best approach this so called warlock. "The villagers say you know how to curse. Mind telling me how you do it?"

The figure emitted another high-pitch giggle, which Atalaya found extremely irritating. "That part of the rumor is actually true," it said. "I can curse people."

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe."

"Do not disrespect our Lady Nora like that!" someone from the crowd yelled.

"Not necessary, darling," Nora chimed and pushed the hood of her robes back. She looked quite young, somewhat younger than Atalaya. Two pigtails of long, curly green hair gave her a slightly bizarre look, like someone who attempted to look younger than they actually were.

Atalaya took a few steps closer. "There's no such thing as magic in this world," she said, ignoring the warnings and exclaims of the crowd. "You must have the ability of a Devil's Fruit."

The playful smile on Nora's lips grew wider. "Would you like a demonstration?" she asked and raised her arms as if to embrace everyone around her.

"Kitsune, Roa, you take care of these guys," Atalaya called over her shoulder. "I'm gonna play with this kid for a while."

"As you wish, cap'n," Kitsune said and turned to face the crowd.

"Do you think he'll be okay on his own?"

Kitsune's smirk widened when Roa referred to Atalaya as a 'he'. "A'course," he said. "I don't think I'd be able ta fergive the cap'n if... _he_ lost ta someone like that after defeatin' me."

"You two battled? When?"

"Focus on the problem at hand, blondie," Kitsune said and unsheathed Hebi Kotei. "We've got a helluva lot of work ta do."

With those words, he launched himself at the crowd. Roa sighed, withdrew a knife from his belt and turned around, bracing himself to take on the other half of enemies.

A small wave of pride washed over Atalaya as she watched how the two men threw themselves into the battle. Kitsune's behavior wasn't out of the ordinary, seeing as he was a cold-blooded killing machine, but even Roa followed his example without a doubt.

Nora released yet another giggle. "You sure have some faith in your subordinates," she said.

"Companions," Atalaya corrected her. "And the blonde one's not my companion. We're just helping him retrieve his bow."

"I'm afraid I can't let you take that," Nora said. "That bow belongs to me now."

"It belongs to you only when the previous owner says so," Atalaya snarled softly and extended her teeth and claws. "Now, wanna show me that curse of yours?"

Nora clapped her hands as she observed Atalaya's transformation. "Oh, oh, how exciting!" she squealed. "You have an ability!"

"You don't say," Atalaya frowned and rolled her eyes. "Now, do I have to force you to show me or will you do it voluntarily?"

"An ability, an ability..."

With eyebrows raised in disbelief, Atalaya sighed. "Force it is," she mumbled before charging straight at the girl.

She jumped from the ground and aimed her claws at Nora's throat, but the smaller girl simply stepped to the side, dodging the hit with ease. Atalaya's hands hit the ground instead, the impact making small cracks spread from where her claws connected with the rocks.

Without wasting any seconds on being surprised, Atalaya braced herself on her arms and twisted her legs, triggering a spinning kick. Once again, Nora jumped out of range, with quite impressive speed.

Strike after strike was dodged, until the point where Atalaya started to feel quite annoyed. Nora didn't seem to have that much experience in close combat, which was why it was odd how she dodged every attack almost like she knew where Atalaya was going to strike.

To increase speed, Atalaya took her transformation to the next step. She kept her human form, but the backside of her body, as well as her arms and legs, became covered in fur. The additional muscle strength of her ability allowed her feet to push off the ground with more force, greatly increasing her speed.

She finally managed to get close enough to Nora to strike, but by the time she had raised her hands, the warlock was already out of range. Atalaya's patience was starting to wear thin, and in a desperate attempt to catch the girl, she lunged at her. Nora dodged, but Atalaya got close enough to feel the fabric of her cape against her skin.

A few seconds later, the momentum of the lunge made her lose her balance and topple over, much to Nora's amusement.

"Come on, aren't you going to force me to curse you?" she sang, bouncing from one foot to the other.

Atalaya only growled in return and got back up on her feet. She stood still for a few seconds, evaluating the situation, before sprinting towards Nora. The warlock smiled and dodged the claws again, but this time Atalaya managed to grab hold of Nora's ankle by using her tail.

With a smirk, Atalaya lifted Nora off the ground only to spin her around once and throw her into the nearest wall. The warlock managed to angle her body enough to not take the hit head first, but she squealed in pain as her shoulder received the impact.

Silence settled between them, broken only by the distant cries of the battle between Kitsune, Roa and Nora's followers. Atalaya couldn't help but feel somewhat triumphant when Nora landed on her feet and staggered around for a bit, obviously shocked Atalaya had managed to touch her at all. The small girl glared at her, clutching to her shoulder as she straightened up. She was mumbling inaudibly, all of her former glee as good as gone.

"That hurt..." she said quietly. "Maybe it _is_ you who deserve to be cursed."

Atalaya's lips curled back in a snarl, and she cautiously backed a few steps. "Show me how you do it," she growled, her fur standing up straight. "Show me how you curse, warlock."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Yay, cliffhanger?_

_I'm in the process of creating a picture of Roa, but I won't be able to post it until I find someone who owns a scanner..._


	19. Atalaya is cursed?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode nineteen – Atalaya is cursed!? Nora's secret is revealed!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

A malicious smile that really didn't suit Nora's child-like face graced her lips as she stood up straight. She put both of her hands to her chest and took a few deep breaths, stabilizing her breathing. For a few seconds, she stood completely still. Then, she mumbled some inaudible words and her body jerked almost comically before she vanished.

Atalaya barely had time to react before she felt a sting in her neck, and Nora appeared in front of her again. "What the hell..." she muttered. A strange feeling spread along her skin, and just as she put her hand to her neck, a searing pain attacked ever cell in her throat.

She couldn't help but let escape a loud exclaim in pure shock. As if struck by hundreds of needles, the pain prickled every single inch of her neck before slowly beginning spread to her chest and shoulders, and she hissed when it reached her lungs, making it hard to breath. She dropped to all four and coughed harshly a few times. A wave of nausea bubbled up inside of her, and she had to swallow thickly a few times to avoid throwing up.

"How does it feel to be cursed?"

Atalaya bit her teeth together and stood up on shaky legs. The earth seemed to spin uncontrollably underneath her feet, but she could still tell Nora was standing in front of her, the playful smile back on her lips. "Do you believe me now?" she asked, her voice sounding distorted and distant.

Although pain seared with every move she made, Atalaya ground her teeth together and lunged forward to grab hold of Nora's shoulders. The warlock's smile disappeared, and she started squirming to get out of the vice grip that clutched onto her instead.

"I know how you do it now," Atalaya hissed and buried her claws in Nora's skin. "I know your trick, Nora."

When the pain started increasing again, her grip weakened and Nora managed to get out of her hold. Atalaya staggered backwards a few steps and raised a hand to rub her eyes. Her vision was slowly starting to blur, and her knees were feeling like jelly.

"My trick?" Nora said and laughed. "I have no trick! I am a warlock!"

Atalaya ignored her and backed another few steps. "Roa!" she called over her shoulder. In the matter of seconds, the archer appeared next to her.

"I'm kinda busy at the moment." He was out of breath and he was rubbing the side of his head, where a large bruise was forming. "What do you want?" he asked.

"There's a small flask in your belt's container, right?" Atalaya spoke fast as she feared if she kept her mouth open too long, something else than words would come out. Not even daring to blink, her eyes were constantly focused on the girl in front of her. "I need it."

"What are you-"

"Now!"

Roa flinched, and after sending Atalaya an aggravated glare, he withdrew a small vial from his belt. The flask was filled with an opaque, almost completely transparent liquid. He tossed it over to Atalaya and turned around. "Kitsune and I are almost finished here," he said. "Few more and we'll be done."

Atalaya nodded and smirked when Roa left her side. She unplugged the vial and held it up so the warlock could see. "Wanna know what this is?" she asked of Nora, whose eyes narrowed in confusion. "Oh well, you'll see soon enough."

With those words, Atalaya brought the vial to her lips and downed the liquid contained within. The second the substance touched her tongue, the pain in her body started to fade away. A cold sensation spread through her veins, and after emptying the entire flask, she shivered at the sensation and straightened up.

She tossed the flask to the side and grinned smugly at Nora's shocked expression. "I told you, I know your trick," she said and took a few steps closer to the warlock. "It wasn't actually that hard, I just wanted to see how you _curse_ others."

"I-impossible," Nora breathed out. "How did you remove the curse?"

"It was actually Roa who told me half of the story," Atalaya said. "He told me of your reputation, and he told me you stole his bow. He also happened to mention the Shuusun clan has always used poisons when hunting. Now, while he thought you wanted to sell his bow, my attention stuck to the poison."

She paused to rub her neck, and when she withdrew her hand, a small drop of blood rested in her palm. "I figured you used poison to curse people with," she continued, thoroughly enjoying Nora's distress. "But I just needed to see _how_. That's why I let you inject the poison inside of me."

"You 'let me'?!" Nora yelled. "I cursed you! You didn't _let_ me curse you, _I cursed you_!"

"No, you didn't," Atalaya said coldly. "Your ability has something to do with speed, right? That's how you managed to dodge my every attack, and that's how you 'curse' people. You move too fast for their eyes to notice, and they think they've been cursed."

"And... and what you drank just now..?"

Atalaya held up the vial. "Since I knew you were using Roa's poison, I just needed to ask him for a vial of the antidote," she said and tilted her head to the side. "It was risky, since I didn't actually know whether he _had_ antidote or not, but it all worked out just fine."

Nora opened her mouth and closed it a few times, making her look like a fish out of water. Finally, she shook her head and straightened up, failing miserably to look dignified. "Fine," she said somewhat hysterically. "Fine, so what? You know my trick. I use the power of the Kaze Kaze no mi, which allows me to move as fast as the wind. So what if you know? I'll just kill you right here and then the secret will die with you."

A cold expression settled on Atalaya's face. "You can't kill me," she said simply. "You're younger than me, and so much more inexperienced. I just said I _let_ you curse me. Which means I could've stopped you if I wanted to. Thanks to my ability, which I have trained for longer than you've been alive, I'm fast enough to keep up with you."

"As if!" Nora shrieked and withdrew a dagger from within her robes. She clenched it tightly in her hand and leaned forward. "Wind God!"

She broke off the ground with such force the rock underneath her feet shattered. Atalaya braced herself and closed her eyes. From Nora's scent and the sound of her featherlight footsteps alone, Atalaya could tell exactly where the girl was.

For a second, Nora vanished from her senses, but Atalaya smirked when she felt the girl's presence appear behind her. "Going for the back is not fair in a battle," she said and whirled around to parry Nora's attack. Her knife connected with Atalaya's claws with a deafening _clang_, and after squealing in dismay, she vanished again.

Atalaya sighed and turned around to where she most strongly sensed Nora's presence. She widened her stance and braced her right arm, raising it above her head. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she focused all of her strength into her hand, and when she felt Nora was close enough, she parted her lips and snarled, "Claw Cannon!"

She lowered her hand and let her claws tear through the air, triggering a violent current in the air. It flew like invisible swords towards Nora, who was just a few feet away from Atalaya when the current hit her. Deep cuts appeared on the warlock's shoulders and chest, and she had barely enough time to even notice before she was thrown backwards, and she crashed into the mountain wall.

After letting escape a small sound of pained surprise, Nora fell forward and onto the floor, where she lay motionless. Atalaya huffed and strode up to the warlock and stared down at her while absentmindedly rubbing her sore neck.

"Wasn't anything personal," she said with a roll of her shoulders. "You just chose the wrong target."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _If the battle seems rushed, it's intentional. Nora is around 10 years old, so if she can't use her Kaze Kaze ability, she's got pretty much zero chances of surviving a close combat fight._

_Kaze Kaze no mi – Wind Fruit. Paramecia type, allows the user to move as fast as the wind._

_Atalaya's Claw Cannon – it's kind of hard to explain in the text, but think of it as a sort of shockwave attack, similar to Zoro's cannon attacks (you know, like the "300 Pound Cannon")_


	20. The battle is over!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty – The battle is over! The archer's gratitude!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya blew out a shaky breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and straightened her back, watching the so called warlock for a few more seconds before turning around to face Kitsune and Roa.

Both of them were standing in the middle of the fifty men who had challenged them earlier. Roa was bleeding from a cut over his left eyebrow, and the bruise on the side of his head had turned dark purple. Kitsune, on the other hand, seemed perfectly fine, but that may have been because it was hard to tell his own blood apart from the rest that soiled his hair and clothes.

With a satisfied smirk, Atalaya walked up to them. "You got your bow, right?" she asked of Roa, who nodded in response. "Alright, let's get out of here."

"What about her, cap'n?" Kitsune asked and glanced at Nora. "Yer gonna leave her like that?"

Atalaya nodded and none too gently patted him on the shoulder as she strode past him. "She won't attack this village again," she said. "She won't dare."

Kitsune sighed and threw one last glance at Nora before following after Atalaya. "What're we gonna do now?" he asked.

"First, we go back to Lyra's house, tell her we succeeded. Then we... we should..."

Atalaya blinked rapidly. Her legs were starting to feel weak, and her entire body was becoming sluggish. She stopped walking and leaned against the mountain wall as the horizon started turning sideways. She wanted to rub her eyes to get rid of the blur in her vision, but her arms wouldn't listen to her.

"Cap'n?"

Kitsune was standing next to her, but his voice sounded distant. Slowly, Atalaya dropped to the ground, her vision going dark.

"What's happening?" Roa asked and crouched down next to her.

"Must be the poison," Kitsune stated. "That li'l warlock must've mixed somethin' else inta yer poison, and the antidote didn't remove that effect. C'mon, yer gonna hafta carry him down."

Roa raised an eyebrow. "Why can't you?" he asked.

"Ya got more muscle." Roa seemed surprised, an obvious sign he'd failed to pick up the sarcastic tone, and he instantly crouched down so Kitsune could position Atalaya properly on his back.

"He can rest at my house," Roa said when they reached the base of the mountain. "I'll go get medicine from the village doctor, and you can go tell my old lady... whatever it was you wanted to tell her."

"Arite, blondie."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

When Atalaya woke up a few hours later, the sun was already starting to rise. "'S it mornin'..?" she slurred and sat up. Her body felt light and refreshed, but she was still a bit disoriented.

"Ya awake now, sweetheart?"

Atalaya looked around and found Kitsune sitting on a small table in the middle of the room. "I think so," she said and looked around. "Where are we?"

"Blondie's place," Kitsune said. "He brought ya here after ya fainted."

"The poison, huh..." Atalaya swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. She felt a little shaky in the legs, but other than that, she was in perfect shape. "Where's Roa?" she asked, noticing the archer's absence.

"Went ta the village ta... ta do somethin'. I wasn't payin' attention."

Atalaya chuckled and bent over to stretch her legs. "When is he coming back?" she asked.

The room was silent for a few seconds before Kitsune answered. "I know what yer thinkin'," he said. "Got any idea how ta convince him?"

A smile ghosted over Atalaya's lips. "You'll have to wait and see," she said. "Now, let's go to the crossroads. He'll pass by the sign on his way home."

"Arite."

They left the house after Atalaya once again plugged her nose to avoid the horrifying smell. "Didn't you get injured at all up there?" Atalaya pointed to the tip of the mountain when they exited the forest.

"Nope," Kitsune said smugly. "Small fry like that ain't strong enough ta even get close."

Atalaya hummed and offered Kitsune a crooked smirk. "You're pretty confident," she stated. "How did Roa seem in combat?"

"He's pretty shitty with a knife," Kitsune chuckled smugly. "But I saw him usin' his bow earlier, and he's got next ta perfect aim."

"Good." When they reached the sign, Atalaya hoisted herself up on it and sat down on the top. She inhaled the fresh air and sighed in content. From up here, she could see the village.

"I think I see him," she said and squinted her eyes. A figure had just stepped out of the nearest house, which Atalaya knew was Lyra's. The figure stood by the door for a few moments before looking around and heading in their direction.

Atalaya rested her head in her hands. "Could you be quiet while I talk to him?" she asked of Kitsune, who was leaning against the sign underneath her. "I don't think your sarcasm isn't gonna help much here."

Kitsune snorted. "How mean, sweetheart..."

"We agreed that nickname was only okay to use on the ship."

"We don't have a ship."

"Ha! Then you can't call me that until we get a ship!"

"Ya play dirty, _cap'n_," Kitsune chuckled.

Atalaya didn't answer. Instead, her attention focused on Roa, who had just appeared on the trail. "Roa!" she called and jumped down from the sign.

The archer looked up in surprise, and he raised his hand when he noticed who had spoken. "Hey," he said when he got close enough. "I didn't think you'd be up yet."

"I'm as good as new," Atalaya grinned. She noticed Roa had his precious bow strapped around his chest, and she leaned to the side to get a good look at it. "Does it work as it should?" she asked. "Nora didn't damage it in any way, did she?"

"Nah, she was just after the poison I had stored inside of it," Roa said. "I don't think she even knew how much the bow was worth."

"That's good."

A brief silence settled between them for a few moments, and Atalaya noticed Roa was like a different person now that he had his bow back. He wasn't looking nearly as aggravated as before, but he seemed to be chewing on the words in his mouth.

"Roa-"

"I really owe you, you know?" Roa interrupted, his eyes suddenly glued to his feet.

Atalaya smiled softly. "I said you didn't need to thank us," she said.

"Yeah, I do," Roa argued, the usual frown appearing on his face. "This bow means more to me than my life, so... so if I didn't thank you for getting back what means the most to me, I..." He sighed and glanced up at Atalaya. "I owe you my life," he said and bowed his head. "Thank you."

Slightly at loss for what to say, Atalaya tied her hands behind her head and leaned back. She worried her bottom lip for a few seconds, and slowly a mischievous grin began stretching her lips. "Alright then," she said gravely and placed both her hands on Roa's shoulders. "If you want to return the favor, come with us to the Grand Line."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Ain't much to say but Happy New Years! Hope you have a good time celebrating~_


	21. Setting sail for Umibe Island!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty one – Setting sail for Umibe Island! Roa says goodbye!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Roa's jaw fell to the ground and he stared at Atalaya with wide eyes. "Excuse me?" he said, his voice drenched in disbelief.

"You heard me," Atalaya grinned. "You said you owe me your life. So repay me by traveling on the seas with us."

Kitsune released a bark of laughter from behind them. "That's how ya were gonna ask him?" he snickered. "Seems like ya got that hint of honest piracy in ya after all, cap'n."

The smirk on Atalaya's lips grew wider, but she didn't take her eyes off Roa. "You told me you've sailed to East Blue and back without a scratch," she said. "Kitsune tells me your skills in archery are one of a kind. To have you as a crew mate would greatly help me en route for One Piece."

"I... that's... you can't... you're _blackmailing_ me into becoming a pirate?!" Roa asked and freed himself from Atalaya's hold.

"If putting it like that makes it easier for you to join, then yes," Atalaya said and crossed her arms over her chest. "Although I think the answer would've been the same even if I'd asked in any other way. You want to be a pirate, don't you?"

After opening and closing his mouth a few times, Roa scoffed and turned his back to Atalaya. "Don't... don't decide for yourself what _I_ want," he muttered.

Atalaya tilted her head to the side. Roa had clenched his fists and his shoulder were stiff, but judging from his tone, Atalaya could've sworn he was grinning.

"So." She equipped a serious expression. "Are you coming with us?" she asked. "Or are you gonna stay here with your debt pressing on your conscience?"

"You're asking me to leave behind my home and my family to roam the most dangerous sea in this world? To throw away my ambitions and sail under the command of a pirate?"

"I'm not asking you to sail under my command, and I'm absolutely not asking you to give up on your own ambitions!" Atalaya said as if the mere thought was ridiculous. "I'm asking you to sail as my companion, as my friend."

Roa released a sound what could've been either a sigh or a chuckle. "...Fine," he said. "Looks like I have no other choice than to come with you."

An excited laugh escaped Atalaya's lips, and she hooked her right arm around Roa's neck and tugged him towards Kitsune. "Looks like we found both a sniper _and_ a navigator," she said, completely oblivious to Roa's loud protests.

"I think yer suffocatin' him, cap'n," Kitsune jingled and bent down so he was face to face with the archer. "Nice ta have ya on board, blondie."

"Nice to be on board, fox face," Roa retorted. He managed to struggle free from Atalaya's grip, and he coughed in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. "So," he said, ignoring Kitsune's amused smirk. "Where are you... _we_ heading now?"

"Not sure," Atalaya said. "We need a ship to head to the Grand Line, and to get a ship, we need a shipwright."

Roa arched an eyebrow. "You don't even have a ship?" he asked. "How did you get to this island then?"

"The cargo ship."

"The cargo..." He shook his head, but he quickly recovered. "Okay, well, I've got my small sail boat, we could use that to get a little further on the way," he said.

"Perfect," Atalaya grinned. "You wouldn't happen to know if there's an island with good shipwrights, would you?"

Roa furrowed his brows. "I think there might be one pretty close," he said. "I once sailed to Umibe Island to sell some of the skin form the animals I hunted, and I happened to hear of a mechanic who knew how to repair ships. Dunno if he's any good though."

"Alright!" Atalaya clapped her hands together. "Let's sail to Umibe Island! Oh..." She glanced at Roa. "Do you wanna say goodbye to your grandmother?" she asked. "You're not gonna come back here for a while."

"Nah, that's okay," Roa said and shrugged. "I'll do it my own way. I just need to go get a few things from my house, alright?"

Somewhat surprised, Atalaya nodded. "Sure," she said. "Where's your boat? We'll go ahead and wait for you there."

"A little bit north from the docks. I won't be long."

"Alright, see you in a bit."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

This time, Atalaya and Kitsune took the trail back to the docks, which brought them to their destination in almost half the time it had taken them to get to the crossroads when they'd arrived on Wayward Island. They had walked along the shores and found Roa's sail boat a few minutes later.

It was small, but it was enough to carry the three of them. The sails were white and clean, and the deck was indeed without a scratch. It looked like it had never been used before.

Roa arrived about twenty minutes later, with a bag thrown over his shoulder, along with a quiver filled with arrows, and his bow. In his right hand he held a somewhat worn out spyglass.

"What?" he asked when he noticed Atalaya was observing all his equipment. "You can't underestimate the sea. You need tools if you want to survive."

"No one was sayin' anythin'," Kitsune remarked and grinned as Roa's left eyebrow twitched in frustration. "Yer too easy ta pick on, ya know?"

"Up yours, fox face," Roa growled and threw his bag into his boat. "Hold this." He passed the spyglass over to Atalaya, who curiously extended it and looked out over the sea.

"Are you sure you're not saying goodbye to the villagers?" she asked without looking at Roa.

"I said I'll do it my way."

Atalaya lowered the spyglass when she heard Roa pull an arrow out of the quiver, and she arched an eyebrow as she noticed the arrow had a small note tied to it. "I hate farewells," Roa said and grabbed his bow. He nocked the arrow and raised the bow to point high towards the sky. "You should be able to see the village from here if you climb up to the topgallant and look through the spyglass."

With an excited grin, Atalaya did as instructed. "Alright, fire away," she called when she'd climbed to the top of the sails. She took her seat and brought the spyglass to her right eye just as she heard the sound of the arrow taking flight.

It took her a few seconds to locate the village, and when she found Lyra's house, she saw the arrow had landed right outside the door. "That's amazing," she said and chuckled at Roa's satisfied expression.

"Alright, let's get out of here," Roa said and released the boat from its ties. "We'll reach Umibe Island in two days tops."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Gah, the end of my vacation is drawing nearer and nearer... /sob._


	22. Fighting on deck?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty two – Fighting on deck? Atalaya's pride!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

When the boat had floated away from the shores, Atalaya jumped down from the sails and landed next to Kitsune, who was seated on the ship rail. She tossed the spyglass back to Roa and lay down on the deck.

"It's so warm..." she hummed and closed her eyes.

"You're not from West Blue, are you?" Roa asked as he hung his bag on a hook he'd installed a few years back. "This year has actually been colder than before."

"We're both from North Blue," Atalaya said. "Where I come from, there's ice and snow covering the ground all year long. I saw grass for the first time when I got to Wayward Island."

"Really?" Roa sat down and leaned towards the rail. "I've only been to North Blue once," he said. "It was like constantly being dunked in ice cold water."

Atalaya chuckled. "You get used to it if you spend enough time there," she said. "To me, it doesn't even feel that cold. Though I must say, I was surprised to see Kitsune strolling around in the snow wearing nothing but a kimono."

"Ya said so yerself, sweetheart," Kitsune said. "Ya get used ta it."

"_I'm_ used to it, you're some kind of-"

"Hold up a second."

Atalaya cracked an eye open and looked at Roa, who had sat up straight, his brow creased in confusion. "Did he just call you 'sweetheart'?" he asked and pointed at Kitsune, who had to bite his teeth together not to laugh.

"He did," Atalaya sighed. "It's an annoying nickname, but at least he's agreed to only call me that when we're on our ship. Which, in this case, we kind of are..."

"But..." Roa looked beyond confused. "Don't you find it weird he calls you 'sweetheart' if you're a guy?"

Kitsune couldn't hold it in any longer; he threw his head back and started laughing so hard he had to clutch onto the rail to not topple over and fall into the sea. "Y-ya still haven't figured it out?" he breathed out, the hyena-like cackling making it difficult to understand a word he was saying.

"Figured _what_ out?" Roa snapped and looked from Atalaya to Kitsune and back.

Kitsune swallowed thickly and clutched to his aching stomach. "The cap'n's a _lass_, blondie," he said.

A moment of complete silence stretched between them before Roa found his voice again. "_What_?!" he yelled and jumped to his feet. "You're a-"

"What does it matter what I am?" Atalaya frowned. She sent Kitsune a glare of dismay, but the only result was to make him laugh even harder.

"But I... oh, _no_." Roa rubbed his eyes and scowled at himself. "I mean, I raised a knife at you! Back in the forest, I would've killed you! I'd never have done that if I'd known you were a-"

"Don't say it!"

Roa slammed his teeth together out of pure shock. Atalaya had risen to her feet, and she was glaring at him with such fury, he felt a cold shiver run down his spine. "Don't say you'd treat me differently just because I'm a _girl_," she growled. "I'm still the same Atalaya you met at the island, the same person you tried to kill, the same person who got under your skin and pissed you off."

"You didn't get under my skin," Roa muttered, though without his usual hostility. "I mean, I wouldn't-"

Beyond irritated, Atalaya stormed straight up to him and tore his bow from his shoulder, internally grinning as Roa finally mirrored her outraged expression. "Don't treat me as a fragile little lady," she said and backed away, rocking the bow back and forth to deliberately aggravate the archer. "Or I'll snap this bow in two!"

Barely had those words left her lips before Roa's fist connected with her cheek. The impact made her head snap to the side, and she could feel blood welling up in her mouth. A few seconds passed before Roa's eyes widened in shock, and he looked almost mortified by his own actions. Atalaya's lips curled into a feral grin, and she wasted no time in returning the favor.

Her fist landed straight on Roa's mouth. The archer staggered backwards a few steps, and he cursed colorfully as he clutched to his chin. He'd bitten his lip, and a small trail of blood was making its way down his chin and onto his hand. Both of them were breathing heavily, and after spitting out a mouthful of blood into the ocean, Atalaya smiled and tossed the bow back to Roa.

"Just like that," she said and wiped her lips. "I'm no different than before. If I do something you don't approve of, don't hesitate to show it just because I'm of a different gender."

Roa stared blankly at her for a few seconds before sitting down, even he with a small smirk on his face. "If you say so, captain," he sighed and strapped the bow around his shoulder again.

"Ya know, sweetheart, ya _could_ make do with less dramatic ways ta talk ta people," Kitsune jingled and rocked back and forth on the rail. "Yer gonna be a wreck if ya recruit people like that."

"But this seems like an effective strategy, no?" Atalaya chuckled. "Worked on you, and now on Roa."

"Eh, that's true..."

Atalaya leaned over the rail to wash her chin clean of blood, but she halted when she noticed the water was slightly darker right underneath the boat. "Oi, Roa," she said and gestured for him to come closer. "I think there's something stuck underneath the boat."

"Underneath..?" Roa quickly got to his feet and looked over the ship rail. "Oh shit," he mumbled and quickly straightened up. He grabbed hold of Atalaya's upper arm and pulled her away from the rail. "There's nothing stuck," he said and tore his bow from his shoulder, nocking an arrow in preparation. "Hold onto something!"

Atalaya and Kitsune only got the chance to exchange a confused glance before the whole boat shook violently. Kitsune barely caught hold of the rail in time to not fall into the ocean, and Atalaya stumbled into the main mast. "What was that?" she called, but her question answered itself a few seconds later.

A Sea King, by far the largest one Atalaya had ever seen, rose from the water. Its blue scales shimmered in the sun, along with its long yellow mane, but the beautiful image went wasted when it turned its head to the small ship, which was about the same size as the Sea King's beak.

Atalaya stared at the beast with wide eyes, awestruck by the sheer size of it. "This'll be fun," she said and grinned, clicking her teeth together in anticipation.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Ugh, school starts again on monday... Ah, I loathe this part of holidays, when you know you have to get back to work in only a few days. Especially if you haven't finished any of the homework you were supposed to do (ehehe..?)._

_Anyways, cheers to ya, and see you monday!_


	23. Teamwork of three!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty three – Teamwork of three! Attack of a Sea King!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The Sea King opened its beak and emitted a roar loud enough to shatter Atalaya's eardrums. She quickly covered her sensitive ears and ground her teeth together at the sound, her ears ringing as the monster quieted down.

"That's not good," Kitsune said gleefully and jumped down to the deck. "The smell of yer blood must've lured it here, sweetheart."

"We have to get rid of it before it crushes the boat!" Roa shouted and widened his stance to stay on his feet as the large waves threatened to turn the small ship over.

"Alright." Atalaya quickly climbed up to the topgallant and stood up straight. "Roa, I need you to blind it!" she called and urged her claws to grow. "Aim for its eyes! Kitsune, you go for its throat!"

"Aye, sweetheart."

"Roger that!"

Roa reached over his shoulder and withdrew four more arrows from the quiver. "Fantastic, this just _had_ to attack us at a moment like this," he growled. He nocked all five arrows and pulled them back so hard the string threatened to snap. "Arrow Storm!"

He released the arrows simultaneously, and as if installed with trackers, they flew in a neat line and landed across the Sea King's brow, three of them succeeding in stabbing its eyes. The beast emitted another deafening roar and threw its head back and forth in pain, creating more vicious waves.

"Kitsune!"

"I know, I know."

Equipped with his usual, bloodthirsty smirk, Kitsune pushed off from the ship rail to get high enough. When he was directly below the Sea King's beak, he unsheathed Hebi Kotei and pointed it at the beast's throat. "Cross Cut," he sang and slashed the blue scales.

A cross-shaped cut spread across the beast's throat, yet it still didn't even withdraw. It lowered its head to strike the sail boat, but it was distorted since its eyes had been damaged. Instead, it buried its beak in the water, missing the small ship with only a couple feet.

Atalaya grabbed the opportunity and leaped off the topgallant. She landed neatly on the Sea King's brow, and without giving it time to shake her off, she raised her heavily armed hands high over her head. "Twin Claw Gun!" she shouted from the top of her lungs and buried both of her hands in the Sea King's skull.

The Sea King shrieked in pain and started flailing violently, thrashing around in the ocean as it tried to throw its assailant off its head. Atalaya freed her hands from its head and dashed down along its long neck to get closer to the boat, and when she was close enough, she jumped off the beast, flying over the large gap of ocean and just barely managed to grab hold of the ship rail. Roa and Kitsune quickly pulled her up on deck, the archer preparing another arrow in case the Sea King would still not fall.

For a few more seconds, the beast swung its head to the sides, constantly crying out. Then, its body jerked, and it fell backwards into the water, where it floated motionlessly. Without lowering her defense, Atalaya stared at it, waiting for it to raise again.

"I think it's dead," Roa said after almost a full minute of silence. He exhaled sharply, dropped his bow onto the deck and sat down.

"That was fun, dont'cha think?" Kitsune jingled and wiped off his katana on his clothes. "A nice li'l afternoon spar. Keeps the blood flowin'."

Atalaya let escape an exhilarated chuckle. "Yeah, it was fun," she admitted. "Although I don't think this boat can handle another one of those beasts." She took a seat on the rail and looked out over the sea. "We have't strayed from our course, right?"

Roa withdrew a small compass from his pocket and shook his head. "Nope," he said. "Although that delayed us a little, we're still heading straight for Umibe Island."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The following two days passed without any further events. The weather had been perfect, the sea had been calm, and there had been no other attacks by sea monsters.

"Won't be more than ten minutes now."

Atalaya, who'd once again been spread out on the deck, quickly jumped to her feet. She located Roa standing on the topgallant, and he pointed straight ahead of him when Atalaya climbed up to join him. "Right in front of us," he said.

An excited grin tugged on Atalaya's lips as she watched Umibe Island. She snatched the spyglass from Roa's hand and zoomed in on the harbor, and she could barely make out the people, who were all busy unloading a large ship that apparently just had docked.

"Wonder what kind of person the shipwright is," she said to no one in specific. "He must be one of those butch men at the docks."

"Who knows..."

Atalaya kept looking until a question popped into her mind. "Can I ask you something?"

Roa looked at her with eyebrows raised in expectation. "Shoot," he said and sat down on the topgallant.

"How come you're so fascinated by pirates?"

A crease appeared on Roa's forehead. "Who says I'm fascinated by them?" he asked.

"Oh, you just gave off that impression," Atalaya chuckled. "Like when I said we were pirates, you already seemed to have your own image of them."

"Really..." Roa was quiet for a while before finding the right words. "I wouldn't say I'm exactly _fascinated_ by them, I just find pirates... impressive."

"How so?"

Roa sighed. "I don't know," he said. "It's just a feeling I get ever time I read about something a pirate has done."

"Like what, give me an example," Atalaya pressed and smirked as she noticed Roa was getting frustrated by all the questions and demands.

"Okay, give me a sec... Ah, well, this happened recently, so you must've heard of it. The war that took place at the Marine Headquarters? A single pirate, who didn't really have anything to do with the war managed to break through the entire marine defense and free Fire Fist Ace right before he died."

"The war between the marines and the Whitebeard Pirates, you mean?" Atalaya hummed as she remembered hearing about it from the people in her village a couple of weeks ago. "Well, you're lucky you decided to join me," she said after a few moments. "As the future Pirate King's crew mate, I'm sure you'll get to experience something like that first hand."

"I didn't say I had a death wish, did I?"

Atalaya let escape a bark of laughter before tossing the spyglass back to Roa and jumping down from the sails. She landed right next to Kitsune, who'd been constantly asleep since their departure. "Wake up, Kitsune," Atalaya said and poked him in the side with her shoe. "We're almost there."

"Almost ain't good enough, sweetheart."

His sleep-deprived voice made Atalaya grin broadly. She plopped down next to him and closed her eyes in an attempt to calm the giddy feeling in her chest as they floated closer to the island.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Alright, quiz time; Who is Roa referring to as he talks about the marine war?_

_Eheheh._

_Okay, so I had the awesome luck of getting sick the day before school started, so I've still got a bit of free time on my hands, and although I'll be spending these days in bed, I have more time to write and draw Race._


	24. The shipwright of Umibe Island!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty four – The shipwright of Umibe Island! Enter Lance!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It seemed like forever until Atalaya finally could hear the sound of people chattering. She stood up so fast she had a moment of vertigo, but she blinked it away and walked over to Kitsune, who had moved to the ship rail and was ready to jump ashore.

"Seems like a lively place," he said.

To say that was an understatement for this harbor. It was packed with people, each and every one of them loaded with what looked like large bolts of fabric. Several ships were floating by the docks, and Atalaya couldn't help but twist her head in every direction, trying to spot anyone who could be the shipwright they were looking for.

When their boat was close enough to the docks, Atalaya grabbed hold of a steady rope and jumped ashore. She quickly secured the ship and stepped to the side to let the others follow. "How will we find the shipwright?" she asked and scanned every man who walked past her.

"Find someone local and ask," Roa said and gestured for Atalaya to move along.

"Alright..." Atalaya walked up to the closest man and knocked him on the shoulder. She heard Roa sigh dramatically behind her, but she ignored him as the man turned to face her. "Good day," she said politely. "We're looking for a local shipwright, would you know anything about him?"

The man observed her for a few seconds before dropping what he was carrying and grabbing hold of her hand. "Yes, yes, yes, you must be new here," he said and enthusiastically shook her entire arm. "Yes, yes, the man you're talking about is Lance, is it not?"

"Lance," Atalaya repeated and freed her poor arm from the man. "Yes, sure, we're looking for Lance. Where can I find him?"

"Lance lives up on the hill over there." The man pointed to the far edge of the valley. "Walk along the main street of Minato Village, there's a trail that leads up to his house."

"Alright, thanks."

"Yes, yes, you're very welcome," the man said and made another attempt at grabbing hold of Atalaya's hand, but she quickly jumped out of the way.

"Sorry, we're... we're in a hurry," she said and moved in a large circle around him. "Thanks again, though!"

"Oi, oi, where's the hurry, sweetheart?" Kitsune asked, amused, when they left the docks. "What, can't ya handle a simple handshake?"

"Felt like he was trying to tear my arm off," Atalaya scoffed and stretched her sore limb. "Dockworkers have more muscle than I expected."

"Let's hope that Lance guy isn't as enthusiastic," Roa said. "I need both of my arms for archery."

As instructed, they followed the main street, which was just as crowded as the harbor. People were flocked around small stands with fruits and fish, and merchants were auctioning off imported products to the left and right.

"They seem to be selling a lot of cloth," Roa stated and approached one of the stands.

"Welcome, welcome, my good sir," the seller said and clapped his hands together. "Umibe Island's finest silk, prepared just this morning!"

Long sheets of smooth silk hung from the stand's roof. Atalaya tentatively grasped one of them and hummed at the soft texture, the fabric like clouds against her fingers. "Is silk this island's speciality?" she asked.

"Yes, quite right," the merchant said. "Umibe Island's hand-woven silk is the finest in all of West Blue, made from this island's rare Smoke Sheep."

"Smoke?"

"Their wool is light and fluffy as smoke. They exist only on this island, and thanks to them, Umibe Island has become part of a popular trade route."

Roa bought a small piece of blue silk and stuffed it into his bag. "This'll be great for cleaning my bow," he said and waved at the salesman before trotting Atalaya and Kitsune towards Lance's house.

They moved along the street until the passed the last houses. A beautiful field of tall grass and flowers stretched on from here, and if one looked really close, what seemed like small balls of white moved around in the grass.

"Must be the sheep," Roa said and pointed. "They really do look like small clouds of smoke, don't they?"

"More like cotton candy," Atalaya smirked. "C'mon, not much further..."

They followed the smaller trail and climbed up the hill. The house was quite small, with bushes of red roses growing along the edges of it. A picture of a hammer crossed with a wrench was carved into the wall, and a well-polished sign was hung above the door.

"'Shipwright/Mechanic'," Kitsune read out loud. "This must be it."

Atalaya approached the door, but before she got the chance to knock, the door swung open, revealing a young woman clad in a yellow dress.

"Oh, pardon me," she said and smiled sweetly at all of them. Her waist-long, brown hair swayed in the wind as she hopped down the stairs and grabbed hold of Atalaya's hand. "I didn't realize we had guests."

She shook Atalaya's hand, although with much less strength than the man at the docks. "We're not guests as much as customers," Atalaya said. "We're here to see Lance."

"Naturally." The girl released Atalaya's hand and motioned for them to step inside. "Right this way, please."

They followed her into the house. A counter split the room in two, dividing the area where the customers would wait, and the area for employees only. The girl moved to the other side of the counter and saluted them with a bow of her head. "Welcome to Lance's Mechanic and Shipwright Shop," she said. "My name is Mira. I'm a childhood friend of Lance, and I help him run this place."

"Nice to meet you," Atalaya said and bowed even she. "I'm Atalaya, the blonde one's Roa, and the one with bloodied clothes is Kitsune."

Mira's eyes widened as she glanced at Kitsune's kimono. "Do forgive me," she said. "I thought it was just some kind of pattern, I didn't realize it was blood."

Atalaya couldn't help but chuckle at her air-head attitude. "Could we speak with Lance?" she asked.

"Oh, yes, let me fetch him for you." Mira walked over to a door by the end of the counter and flung it open. "Lance!" she shouted, her lady-like tone as good as gone. When she didn't get a response, she turned and smiled at Atalaya. "He's probably in the workshop. Be right back."

She closed the door behind her and Atalaya sighed. "Is there some kind of kink in this island where you _have_ to shake hands when you meet someone new?" she huffed and leaned over the counter. "Hope this Lance won't try to disfigure me."

"Would be worth it, though," Roa piped up. He had found a catalog and was casually flipping through the pages. "If the guy has made all of these ships, I'd say an arm would be a worthy payment."

"Arite, we'll offer one of yer arms if that's what the guy wants," Kitsune jingled, unsheathing Hebi Kotei halfway before letting it slide back into the holder with a loud _clack_.

Roa instantly bristled. "The hell's your problem, fox face?" he snapped.

"It was yer idea, blondie."

"But why would you-"

"Keep it down, you two," Atalaya said loudly. "Roa, let me see that for a second."

After sending Kitsune a murderous glare, Roa tossed the book to Atalaya, whose eyes widened when she located a picture of a ship Lance had apparently built a few years back. "This guy is insane," she said. "The ships he's built look amazing."

"I truly appreciate the kindness of your words."

Startled, Atalaya looked up from the catalog and found herself face to face with a man dressed in clothes worthy of a highly respected noble. A deep purple hat decorated with red roses and white lace rested on top of his dark blue hair, and a smile graced his lips at Atalaya's surprised expression.

"Pardon me, it was not my intention to frighten you," he said and stepped onto their side of the counter.

Atalaya took almost an entire minute to fully scan his appearance. He was dressed in a fancy, purple suit with golden buttons and an open collar, revealing a white dress shirt with a black and white, striped bow tie. He was slender, and every detail, even the golden earring in the shell of his right ear, screamed nobility.

"I hear you were looking for me," he said and placed his hat to his chest. Something vaguely familiar to peacock feathers dangled from the end of the ornate headpiece, and Atalaya found herself somewhat awestruck by this stranger.

"Come on, introduce yourself!"

Mira had appeared in the doorway again, and she was looking at the blue-haired man with stern eyes.

He sent her a quick glance before turning back to Atalaya with a charming smile. Much to her relief, he didn't try to grab her hand, but leaned forward in a perfect 45-degree bow. "Although you may have already figured out who I am, allow me to properly introduce myself," he said. "My name is Lance. I am the proud owner of this shop, and I shall do whatever it takes to fulfill your expectations."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _This episode is the official beginning of the first 'real' arc in Race, the Umibe Arc._

_I finally recovered from my fever (guh...), so tomorrow it's back to school... Thanks to you all who wished me a speedy recovery, I appreciate it :)_

_The perfect 45-degree bow – I read somewhere (don't remember where) that a bow where someone bends forward exactly 45 degrees is a "perfect bow"._

_See you on friday!_


	25. War of words!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty five – War of words! The gentleman with a sharp tongue!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The silence in the room stretched on. Somehow, Lance's distinguished appearance made Atalaya wonder if the man in front of her was some kind of jokester. She looked from Lance to Mira, who was trying to suppress her giggling at the shock Lance had caused.

Finally, even Lance seemed to notice the awkward atmosphere. "You _are_ looking for me, correct?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

"You're Lance?" Atalaya asked.

"I am." Lance picked up the catalog from the counter and opened the first page. "If you look closely, you can see me working on that ship," he said and passed the book to Atalaya.

True enough, on a picture of a large ship, you could see Lance, equipped with hammer and nail, sitting on the ship rail. He wasn't wearing his fancy jacket, but the hat was unmistakeable. He'd rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt, and Atalaya could see he wasn't as slender as the jacket indicated. His arms were muscular, and his shoulder were quite broad.

"Sorry," Atalaya said and returned the catalog. "You don't really strike me as a shipwright."

"I have heard that before," Lance said. "Somehow, I am never able to convince people until they see that picture of me."

"Maybe it's because of the way you dress," Roa piped up. He was leaning against the wall, glaring at Lance through narrowed eyes. "You look too high and mighty to be a shipwright."

"Oh, that would be my fault," Mira said from the doorway. "I've always been interested in tailoring, and sowing fancy clothes like that are my speciality. Lance has been kind enough to act as my model."

Roa scoffed, and Lance sent him a cold smile before turning back to Atalaya. "How may I be of assistance?" he asked. "I assume you're here to have me repair something?"

"I'll leave you to speak business," Mira said before Atalaya could answer. "I have to pick up new silk at the docks."

"It was nice meeting you." Atalaya waved at her as she strolled out the door. "Alright." She turned back to Lance. "We don't have anything that needs repairing," she said. "We'd like you to build us a ship."

Lance nodded absentmindedly and walked to the other side of the counter. "What kind?" he asked and picked up a quill and a piece of parchment.

"A pirate ship."

The quill was just about to touch the paper when Lance halted. His eyes traveled from Atalaya, who was grinning at his reaction, to Kitsune and his bloody clothes, to Roa, who was still glaring back at him.

"Pirates," Lance stated. "I see."

"Is there a problem?" Atalaya asked.

"Oh, not at all," Lance chuckled. "Pardon me for repeating what you said, but you do not strike me as pirates. Apart from him, perhaps," he added and glanced at Kitsune.

Kitsune's smile widened. "Does the blood turn me inta a pirate?" he asked.

"It does," Lance said and nodded. "May I ask for your names?"

"Kitsune."

Lance observed him for a while before looking at Atalaya with eyebrows raised in expectation. "I'm Atalaya," she said and nodded in salute.

"And the obnoxious blonde over there?"

Roa scowled and pushed away from the wall. "I'm not obnoxious, pretty boy," he seethed, his hands clenching into fists as he moved towards the shipwright. "You're in no position to look down on me!"

"Quite the contrary, I have the right to treat ants however I please."

"Why, you-"

Kitsune grabbed hold of Roa's wrist and tugged him back. "Let the cap'n do the talkin'," he said, although his tone indicated he'd much rather watch the archer go berserk than take part in a calm conversation.

"Are you the captain?" Lance completely ignored Roa's tantrum and addressed Atalaya, who nodded.

"Surprised?" she asked.

"Quite. It is rare to see a lady lead a crew of pirates. Especially if the pirates she leads are so..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the message was clear as he tilted his head and offered Roa another one of his cold smirks.

"How do you figure I was a lady?" Atalaya asked before Roa could flare up again.

Lance chuckled. "Your entire appearance is too refined," he said. "You couldn't possibly be of the same gender as that brute over there."

"That's it!"

In the blink of an eye, Roa had torn his bow form his shoulder and now stood with an arrow aimed straight at Lance's heart. "I'm getting really tired of you," he snarled. "Don't challenge someone before you're absolutely sure you can win."

"Put that away, Roa," Atalaya sighed. "We need him, remember? A dead shipwright can't build us a ship, let alone come with us anywhere."

Roa ground his teeth together, but lowered his weapon. "I'll be outside," he muttered and stormed out the door. He slammed the door behind him, making the windows rattle.

"Sorry about him," Atalaya said and grinned apologetically.

"That's pretty much his way of sayin' 'hi'," Kitsune snickered. "He swung a knife at the cap'n the first time they met."

A flash of disgust ghosted over Lance's face. "He threatened a lady?" he asked coldly.

"Speaking of which." Atalaya equipped a serious expression. "Could you _not_ call me that? I don't want everybody to know I'm... well, you know."

"How come?"

Atalaya shrugged. "You kinda answered the question yourself," she said. "You treat me differently because I'm a woman. As will the entire world if they find out. So, if you could just..."

"I see." Lance nodded. He observed her a while longer before clearing his throat. "Alright, back to business," he said. "You said you wanted me to build a ship."

"Yeah. We're heading to the Grand Line, and a ship would kinda be a necessity."

"Of course. Now, I can not build the ship while we're here on Umibe Island," Lance said. "There are not enough timber here for that. A trip could be planned to Mokuzai Kingdom, where they produce materials for ships, but that would naturally add to the expenses. And while we're on that subject, how are you planning yo pay for this?"

"Right. Money." Atalaya chewed on her bottom lip. "How much would it be altogether?"

"If you add all the materials, the trips, plus my base fee, I would say..." Lance furrowed his brow as he calculated. "A bit over one hundred million beri?"

Atalaya groaned. "Okay, that's a problem," she muttered and banged her head into the counter. "It's gonna take us a while to collect all that..."

"Building a ship is no small matter," Lance chuckled. "Oh, if I may ask... you said something about me 'coming with you anywhere'. What exactly...?"

"Ah, that." Atalaya grinned widely. "See, I was wondering if you'd want to come with me to the Grand Line, as our shipwright."

Lance's eyebrows shot into his hairline, and he stared at Atalaya as if she was crazy. Then, he pulled his hat down to his brow, and shook his head. "'Tis not the first time I've met a pirate," he said. "But it _is_ the first time a pirate has asked me to sail with them."

"I'm serious," Atalaya said. "I want you to come with us."

"I'm afraid I must decline," Lance said. "I have duties here on this island, and I could never leave Mira here unprotected. And," he added and scoffed. "I hardly think that archer would want me along."

"Who, Roa?" Atalaya glanced out the window and saw him walk back and forth in front of the house. "His behavior improves after you've known him for a while," she stated. "Like Kitsune said, he tried to kill me the first time we met, and now, only a few days later, he listens to my requests and complies to them."

Lance chuckled and scribbled something down on the parchment. "Still, I have to say no," he said. "Like I said, I could never leave Mira to live on her own."

"If ya get a high bounty, yer reputation will keep this entire island safe," Kitsune piped up. "That girl will be safer than she is now."

The shipwright shook his head, but before he could answer, the door flew open with such force, Atalaya flinched from the loud noise. She turned around and expected to find Roa, but instead the man who had so enthusiastically shaken her hand before stood panting in the doorway.

"Sir Jonas!" Lance quickly strode up to him and lead him to a chair. "Why are you in such a hurry?" he asked.

"Yes, yes, yes... P... pirates..." Jonas panted and wiped sweat from his brow. "Pirates at... at the docks."

After exchanging a quick glance with Atalaya, who shrugged, Lance soothingly clapped Jonas' shoulder. "These pirates aren't dangerous," he said. "They're only here to have me build a ship."

"No, no, not them," the man stressed and shook his head. "A large pirate ship arrived at the docks! They stole all our cloth, and Mira... Mira..."

Lance's expression darkened at the mention of her name. "What happened to Mira?" he asked, his previously pompous tone now laced with danger. "Sir Jonas, what did they do?"

"They took her, Lance, they kidnapped Mira!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Personally, I'm very fond of Lance. I like his character, how he acts all high and mighty, and I've drawn a couple of rough sketches of him, and believe you me, drawing his outfits are _so_ entertaining! I've drawn him in all kinds of frills and suits, and I'm never gonna get bored of it! Uploading them as soon as I can, I'm just a li'l preoccupied at the moment._

_Cheers, and have a nice weekend!_


	26. Mira is kidnapped?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty six – Mira is kidnapped?! Pirates attack Minato Village!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Lance looked like he'd been shot. For a moment, he looked lost, like he had no idea what to do or how to act now. Then, he grabbed hold of Jonas' shoulders and pulled him up to his feet.

"How long ago did this happen?" he demanded.

"O-only a few minutes," Jonas stuttered. "Yes, yes, yes, I got here as fast as I could..."

With a growl, Lance released the man and ran through the door that apparently lead to his workshop. They heard him throw things around, and Atalaya took the opportunity to address Jonas.

"Did they want something?" she asked. "Did they kidnap Mira to demand a ransom or something like that?"

"I don't know," Jonas whined and buried his face in his hands. "I started moving here as soon as they docked, but when I was halfway here, I heard Mira scream. When I turned around, I saw them pulling her onto their ship."

Atalaya cursed, but before she could ask anything more, Lance entered the room again. In one hand, he was holding an apparently self-made battle mace, and strapped around his shoulder hung a large bazooka. Without as much as a word, he sprinted out of the house, his mind clearly set on rescuing his friend.

"That's not gonna end well fer him," Kitsune said gleefully. "I assume we're followin' him?"

"You assume correctly." Atalaya patted Jonas on the shoulder once before hurrying out the door. She almost ran into Roa, who quickly jumped aside to avoid a collision.

"There's something going on at the docks," he said. "I heard gunfire, and then that shipwright ran past me..."

"Pirates," Atalaya said and gestured him to follow. "Mira's been kidnapped, and Lance went to try to save her."

"That idiot," Roa growled as they ran down the hill. "He's gonna get himself killed."

"Aren't ya just gettin' yer hopes up high?" Kitsune jingled.

The corners of Roa's mouth twitched ever so slightly, and even Atalaya couldn't help but chuckle, but her expression instantly hardened as they passed the first few houses. "It doesn't look good," she muttered.

Some of the houses had broken windows, and there were people running in every direction. Atalaya heard gunshots and screaming, and she growled when the panicked crowd pushed her down as they tried to get as far away from the docks as possible.

She straightened up and none too gently grabbed hold of the nearest man, who instantly started flailing as if his life depended on it. "Relax," Atalaya said loudly and smacked him over the head. "I'm not here to hurt you, I just want to know where Lance is."

The man swallowed thickly before pointing towards the docks, which, from what Atalaya could see, was completely destroyed. "Thanks," she said and released him. She began moving again, grinding her teeth together as she sped up, practically throwing people out of her way.

When she managed to get a clear view of the docks, her eyes widened as she spotted the pirate ship. It was large, on the scale of monstrous. Black sails with the image of a rocket wearing a pirate hat caught her eyes, and she snarled as she could hear the faint sound of Mira's screams.

"Hold on, hold on," she chanted, and just as she broke out of the crowd, the sound of a cannon being fired reached her ears. She instinctively whirled around, grabbed hold of both Roa and Kitsune's arms and pulled them down to the ground.

An earsplitting crack echoed through the air and Atalaya grit her teeth when she saw one of the houses blow up, sending small splinters of wood and glass flying in every direction. With the villagers' screams ringing in her ears, she waited until the impact of the explosion had settled before clumsily getting back up on her feet.

The crowd had ran in circles to leave a large opening around the harbor, and Atalaya couldn't blame them. What little remained of the docks were occupied by pirates, each one of them equipped with one or two swords.

"We should really get out of here," Roa said and put a hand on Atalaya's shoulder, but she just swatted it away. "I know you're not weak, Atalaya, but you're up against over a hundred pirates!"

Atalaya ignored him. She had just spotted Lance, who was crouching down a few yards in front of her. "He's injured," she muttered and started moving closer, but before she'd taken but a few steps, Lance stood up straight, a snarl twisting his features as he aimed his large bazooka at the pirates.

"Give Mira back!" he shouted and cocked the weapon. "Or I'll blow you all away!"

The pirates simply snickered, and they stepped aside to let a big man through. He looked brutal, with wild black hair and a metallic eyepatch over his left eye. His arms were covered in armor, and a spiked fist-weapon decorated his right hand.

"The captain," Atalaya breathed out.

Said man stepped out in front of Lance. He observed the shipwright for a few moments before snapping his fingers. Two members of his crew instantly stepped forth, each struggling to restrain a wildly flailing Mira.

"Let go of me, bastards!" she cried and attempted to kick one of her capturers, but he grabbed hold of her hair and pulled her head backwards, extracting a squeal of pain from the girl.

Lance's eyes widened and he lowered the bazooka a bit. "Mira!" he called.

Mira looked up, and a frightened expression settled onto her face. "Lance... what are you doing here?!" she screamed, her eyes filling up with tears as her captors tightened their grip on her hair. "Why did you come?!"

Lance staggered a bit where he stood, and Atalaya noticed his right leg had been badly cut, the wound coloring his trousers red. "What am I... I came to take you back!"

"So you're the rumored Lance," the big man stated, and Lance immediately raised the bazooka again. "I've heard quite a lot about you. About your skills as a shipwright."

"So what?" Lance growled.

The man grinned. "The name's Rocket," he said. "Captain of the Rocket Pirates. I've come here to get you."

Lance's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What do you mean, 'get me'?" he asked.

"I mean exactly what I said," Rocket said loudly. "You're gonna come with me and my crew!"

"Why would I ever follow a swine like you?"

Rocket's expression morphed into one of pure rage, and he snapped his fingers again. One of the pirates who were holding onto Mira grinned and slammed his fist into her stomach. She exclaimed in shock, and after gasping for air for a few seconds, she fainted.

"Does that answer your question?" Rocket asked darkly.

"Let go of her!" Lance shouted. "She has nothing to do with this!"

Rocket laughed. "Of course she does," he said and threw out his arms. "She's the leverage! Leverage for your cooperation!"

Atalaya subconsciously clenched her fists, but before she could move closer, Kitsune grabbed hold of her. "Wait it out, cap'n," he said quietly. "Somethin' might still happen."

"A human is never leverage," Atalaya snarled without taking her eyes off Rocket. "This is dirty!"

"This is a pirate," Kitsune said with a calm smile. "I told ya, yer of a weird kind. This is what a pirate is supposed ta be like."

Atalaya's attention was snatched away from him when she saw Lance lower the bazooka again, and her eyes widened as she saw the shipwright was wearing a defeated expression. He clenched and unclenched his fists a few times before throwing the gun to the ground.

"Fine," he said. "If you release Mira, I'll join up with you."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _After writing this episode, I could barely sit still. This part is – at least for me – a really exciting part, and if you think you got it rough to wait for the next episode, believe me; it's nothing compared to how I feel when I have to _wait_ to upload an episode. See, I'm just as eager as you are about this!_

_I've sketched up a decent picture of Lance, as well as a picture of Roa, and I'm adding them on __deviantART by wednesday's episode._

_Have a nice start of the week, and see you in two days!_


	27. To sacrifice is not to save!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty seven – To sacrifice is not to save! Rage of the sabertooth tiger!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"If you release Mira, I'll join up with you."

The docks became engulfed in silence as those words left his lips. Atalaya stopped struggling out of pure shock, and something more than anger welled up inside her veins, her hands clenching into fists as she bared her teeth.

The silence was broken by Rocket's booming laugher. "Perfect!" he shouted. "Seems like we got ourselves a shipwright!" He addressed his crew, who all roared in delight, waving their weapons around.

"You stupid..!"

Without even thinking, Atalaya tore herself out of Kitsune's grip and broke away from the ground, crossing the distance between her and her target in less than three seconds. "You stupid _idiot_!" Her ability reacted instinctively, equipping her arms and hands with fur as hard as steel, and when she was close enough, she raised her right hand and, much to Kitsune and Roa's surprise, she punched Lance straight in the temple.

Unprepared, the shipwright was thrown off his feet. He crashed into the ground a few feet away, and after laying motionless for around thirty seconds, he sat up straight with a shocked expression. "What... why did you..?" he stuttered, wincing as his head started to throb.

Atalaya completely ignored Rocket, who was staring at her with eyes the size of dinner plates. She stormed up to Lance, grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled him up to her level.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snarled.

Lance looked so confused, Atalaya would've laughed had the situation been different. "Wha... what do you mean, what am _I_ doing?" he asked. "They've got Mira!"

"And you think giving yourself up is gonna save her?" Atalaya growled and roughly shook him. "You think you can save her like this?"

Lance finally seemed to find his anger again and he attempted to struggle free from Atalaya's grip, but she wouldn't let go. "I can!" he shouted. "They'll let her go! She'll be free! As long as she's free, then I'll-"

A furious growl rolled through Atalaya's teeth and she slammed her forehead against Lance's, effectively shutting him up and knocking his hat off. She couldn't explain why she reacted so strongly, she only knew she was angry enough to tear the shipwright's head off right now, and the pain in her brow made her already loud voice evolve into a scream.

"_Don't give up your life for them_!"

Lance's eyes widened. His mouth fell open, but nothing came out apart from a few inaudible noises. He closed his lips and swallowed thickly a few times before finally finding his voice again. "What else am I supposed to do?" he breathed out.

"You _fight_!" Atalaya went on, screaming so loud it felt like her throat was on fire. "Fight your way through the enemy troops! If you can't reach your target, you get stronger and you try again, but don't you _dare_ use Mira as an excuse to throw your life away!"

She was breathing heavily, but she didn't let up the grip on the hem of Lance's shirt. "She said so herself, didn't she?" she panted, her voice finally dropping back to a normal volume. "She asked you 'why did you come here'. She knew they were going to use her for this, and she didn't want you to do their bidding."

Lance was trembling. He was biting his bottom lip, and Atalaya knew he was trying his best not to let any tears roll down his cheeks. She finally let go of him and took a step back, and just as she parted her lips to speak, she was interrupted by Roa's voice.

"Behind you, Atalaya!"

She only had time to glance to the side and see both Roa and Kitsune dashing towards her before the sound of a gunshot reached her ears, and she felt a bullet tear through her right shoulder. The pure shock made the pain seem distant, but when she tried to turn around, every cell in her right arm screamed in protest.

Atalaya ground her teeth together and quickly brought a hand up to her shoulder, cursing as she felt the warm liquid flow past her fingers. She turned on shaky legs only to see Rocket stand a few yards from her, a gun in his hand.

"That's my future shipwright you're screaming at," he said coldly. "I don't like the way you're treating him."

"He's not gonna be your shipwright," Atalaya hissed. "He's too good for a heartless bastard like yourself."

Rocket threw his head back and laughed. "I'm not going to be lectured by a brat like you," he said and turned around on the heel. He walked up to his crew and glanced over his shoulder as he was about to board his ship. "I'll give you twenty four hours to think this through, Lance. Find us at the northern shore when you're ready to do the right thing, or the girl will die."

With that, he, his crew and Mira disappeared onto the deck of the large ship. Lance quickly struggled to his feet, but Atalaya grabbed hold of his wrist to prevent him from moving. "Let go of me!" he said loudly. "They're taking her away!"

"Would you calm _down_?!" Although the pain seared in Atalaya's shoulder, she managed to hold him back. "You can't do anything if you run in there by yourself!"

She felt a presence next to her and turned around, ready to face whoever it was, but a wave of relief washed over her when she found herself face to face with Roa and Kitsune.

"Ya should get yer shoulder fixed, cap'n," Kitsune said.

He placed a hand on Lance's shoulder and pulled him back while Roa rummaged through his bag for the piece of cloth he'd bought earlier. When he found it, he carefully placed it over Atalaya's wound.

"Press that over it," he said. "Should do a better job at stopping the blood flow."

Atalaya nodded and did as instructed. The cool silk felt like heaven against her injury, and she sighed in content before turning to face Lance. "Is there a doctor in this village?" she asked.

Lance seemed to be in too much shock to hear her. "They took Mira..." he mumbled. "They're gonna kill her..."

"Oi!" He raised his head and looked at Atalaya with reddening eyes. "Where's the village doctor?" she asked again. "Your leg needs fixing, and I have no chance of fighting with this shoulder."

"The doctor is... what do you mean, 'fight'?"

Atalaya walked past him and picked up his hat from the ground. "You think I'd let you go after a pirate like Rocket on your own?" she asked and pressed the hat down over his head, grinning at the surprised expression he offered her. "We'll help you get Mira back."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Ah, Lance, poor Lance... First time I wrote this, I was gonna have Atalaya punch Rocket and chaos would break out, and Atalaya was gonna use the distraction to drag Lance away from the scene, but I think this is so much better!_

_I've uploaded pictures of Roa and Lance to my deviantART page, teruul. Deviantart. Com, so go check them out if you want._

_See you friday!_


	28. Prepare for battle!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty eight – Prepare for battle! No one stands alone!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"You... you're going to help me?" Lance breathed out, the surprise finally making him calm down. "Why?"

"Because I said so," Atalaya hummed. "Now, about that doctor..."

Lance stared at her in disbelief for a few seconds more before sighing. "I have no idea where the doctor is," he said. "He's most likely hiding somewhere on the island, but I ought to have enough medical equipment at my workshop to heal that." He nodded at Atalaya's shoulder. "And my leg," he added as he attempted to take a step forward, only to remember the cut in his thigh.

"Alright, back to Lance's then."

She started walking and gestured for Kitsune and Roa to follow, leaving Lance standing in the middle of the destroyed docks. He stood still, completely awestruck, staring after the trio as if they would be out of their minds. "What a weird crew of pirates," he mumbled before sparing Rocket's ship one last glare and limping after the others.

When they returned to the house, Jonas was nowhere to be seen. "He's hiding," Lance said. "Along with the others."

He directed Atalaya to the closest chair before walking out of the room to fetch the medicine. "We're really going to help that guy?" Roa asked the second he was gone.

"Yes, we are," Atalaya said. "The way you two feel about each other is one thing, but I don't wanna let Mira die, nor do I wanna see Lance give up his life for scum like Rocket."

"But-"

"Roa." Atalaya leaned forward in her chair and observed the archer eyebrows raised in expectation. "If it was up to you, would you really walk away?" she asked.

Roa stared at her for a few moments before groaning and lowering his gaze. He didn't respond, but Atalaya was satisfied with this type of response.

"This ain't different than when we decided ta help ya out, blondie," Kitsune piped up, his happy-go-lucky tone making Atalaya roll her eyes.

"I got it, I got it, stop bugging me already!"

Atalaya started to chuckle, but instantly halted when her shoulder throbbed in pain. As if on cue, Lance appeared in the doorway, loaded with a first-aid kit and several bolts of bandage. He withdrew an anesthetic and passed it to Atalaya along with a was of cotton, and needle and thread.

"The bullet went straight through," he said. "So it shouldn't be more than just sowing the wound shut."

"Kitsune," Atalaya said and gestured for him to come closer. "I'm right-handed, so you'll have to do it. Roa, you help Lance in any way you can."

"Why do _I_ have to-"

"Cap'n's orders, blondie," Kitsune sang and crouched next to Atalaya. "I'm not very gentle, sweetheart," he added as he grabbed the needle.

"As long as you close the wound," Atalaya said and groaned as the anesthetic stung against her flesh. In an attempt to distract herself, she addressed Lance, who was busy instructing Roa on how to be of help. "Do you have any other weapons apart from the ones we saw earlier?" she asked.

"I'm going to need more thread than that, you... huh?" He looked up from Roa's hands, who were busy trying to measure up a decent amount of thread. "Oh yes, I have a few weapons down in my workshop," he said, completely oblivious to the foul aura Roa emitted next to him. "One of every kind, I dare say."

Atalaya arched an eyebrow in surprise. "I'm impressed," she said through gritted teeth as she felt Kitsune press the needle through her skin. "Which one do you use best?"

"If I were forced to choose, I think I would pick are a pair of trench knives I've designed myself," Lance said. He turned back to Roa and sighed. "Give me that!" He took the thread from the archer's hand. "I'm sowing shut a wound, not a cut in a jacket," he frowned.

"Do it yourself then!" Roa snapped.

"Trench knives, huh..." Atalaya nodded. "Sounds good. We'll rest here for a few hours, try to mend our wounds as good as possible. When the sun goes down, we'll go rescue Mira."

"Why so late?"

"Because attacking in full daylight isn't really a good idea. We wouldn't be able to use the element of surprise."

A bit over ten minutes later, Atalaya and Lance's wounds had been closed up. Atalaya was still sitting in her chair and, much to Roa's dismay, she was busy trying to angle her head so she could lick the injury.

"It seems pointless to ask at this point, but am I correct when I say you have a Devil's Fruit ability?" Lance asked when she finally succeeded. His tone and way of speaking had gone back to normal now that he'd calmed down. "I think I caught a glimpse of fur down at the docks."

"Yeah," Atalaya said. "I ate a Neko Neko no mi when I was eight. Lets me transform into a sabertooth tiger."

"Ah, I see. And as a feline, you lick your wounds to speed up the healing process. Quite clever, if I may say so."

Atalaya grinned as she saw Roa's less than pleased expression. "Thanks," she said and resumed her mending. When she was finished, she tentatively raised her right arm. It still hurt to move it, but at least she could move it at all. "Alright, it should be well enough when we move out. How's the leg?"

"Better," Lance said and took a few steps towards his workshop. "As long as I can walk, I ought to be fine. I will return shortly, I would very much like to change out of these bloodied clothes."

He left the room, wobbling ever so slightly as he walked. "See, he's not so bad," Atalaya said and smirked at Roa, who scoffed in return.

"I still think he's a bastard," he said and crossed his arms over his chest. "He's too... I don't know, he's too whiny."

"Let's cut up yer leg and compare yer attitude ta his," Kitsune said and reached for Hebi Kotei.

"Why do you always resort to something that would injure or even kill me, fox face?"

"'S the best way ta get a good response from others. Obviously."

Atalaya sighed as the two kept bickering. She closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat, her mind begging for a few hours of sleep. "It's gonna be a long night," she hummed.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The second the sun's last rays had disappeared, the door to Lance's shop flew open. Atalaya stepped out into the warm evening breeze and gently nuzzled her shoulder as she waited for the rest to get ready. One after the other appeared beside her, each with their weapons drawn and ready for battle.

Atalaya couldn't help but grin at the almost electrically charged atmosphere.

"Time to move," she said.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Ohohoo, excitement, excitement... as the author of this, I can see every scene like a movie in my head, but the last scene I can see particularly well. I can imagine their expressions, their postures, everything... Goddammit, I wish this was an anime..._

_Cheers, see you monday!_


	29. The target is Mira!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode twenty nine – The target is Mira! Boarding Rocket's ship!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Minato Village was still deserted as no one had dared come out of hiding yet, a deafening silence resting over the houses as Atalaya and the others moved along the road without exchanging as much as a word. The sun had set a couple of minutes earlier, and already the sky was beginning to darken.

Once they reached the docks, Atalaya halted and looked around. "Rocket said they'd be waiting at the northern shore," she said. "How far is it?"

"A few, maybe ten minutes by foot," Lance said. "The cove, at which I'm sure they are waiting, is at the edge of a forest, so we ought to be able to move without being seen."

Atalaya nodded and resumed walking. Apart from their footsteps, the only source of sound came as the small waves hit the shore. "Can I ask you something personal?" Atalaya asked after a few moments.

Lance nodded. "By all means."

"What exactly is your relationship to Mira?"

"She is what I can only describe as my family," Lance said quietly. "I was born on Grand Line, on an island called Water 7. I was too young to remember any of it, and my first memory places me here. I came to live together with Mira, and she has been like a younger sister to me since then."

They had entered the forest, and they moved extra slowly to not make any sudden noise and alert possible patrols.

"You were born on the Grand Line?" Atalaya asked, surprised. "Why did you move here?"

"Not quite sure. I have no idea who my father is, but my mother used to tell me I inherited his blue hair. Apparently my mother did not want to raise me in a city which pirates passed every day."

"Is that so..."

"Not ta interrupt yer cosy li'l chat," Kitsune piped up from in front of them. "But I think we've arrived at the right place."

Atalaya offered Lance a quick smile before soundlessly prowling to the edge of the forest. Indeed, Rocket's pirate ship had dropped anchor in a perfectly sized lagoon. The ship seemed even larger at night, with small candles here and there to give the patrolling crew members some light.

"I don't see Mira anywhere," Atalaya mumbled. "She must be somewhere below deck, probably in the brig or in the captain's cabin."

Lance tugged at her jacket and motioned for her to get closer to him. "I brought this along just to be sure," he said quietly and pulled out a paper labeled "_Ship Anatomy_". He spread it out on the damp moss and pointed at the stern. "If this ship follows the standard ship anatomy, the captain's cabin would be right about here, above the rudder."

"And the brig?"

"That I can't say for sure, but judging from the sheer size of this ship, I would say it's at the lowest level, and as far away from the captain's cabin as possible."

"How ya figure that?" Kitsune asked.

Lance smiled coldly. "So that the captain wouldn't have to be bothered by the prisoners' screams," he said.

"Alright." Atalaya stood up and started moving along the edge of the forest. "The stern is at the other end of the ship, meaning getting to the captain's cabin will be the most difficult," she stated. "We should use get as much use of stealth and subtlety as possible. From what I saw earlier, this crew has over one, probably close to two hundred members, which means a direct attack would be instant suicide."

She pulled back and leaned against a tree, deep in thought at how to approach the ship the easiest way. "Okay, I've got an idea," she said and walked back to the rest. "The ship is pulled up so close to the edge of this forest, we could easily reach the jib-boom just by jumping. Roa, you'd climb up to the topgallant, from where you should be able to take out those who are patrolling on the deck."

Roa nodded, so Atalaya continued. "I'd stay on deck, ready to act if a group of pirates would appear to check on the rest. That'd leave Kitsune and Lance to sneak down to the brig and see if Mira is there."

"And if she is not?" Lance asked.

"Then..." Atalaya equipped a lazy smile. "Then there's not much to do than fight," she said. "Let's put our hopes on the brig."

She stood up and prowled to the edge of the forest. "Alright, Roa, you'll go first," she whispered, and the archer walked up next to her. "There's a patrol passing, go in three..." The patrol moved past the jib-boom, laughing at something unknown to their watchers. "Two..."

Atalaya waited until the voices of the patrolling pirates had started to fade before she nodded, and without making any noise, Roa pushed off the ground. It almost looked like he flew with wings, and he landed neatly on the boom, not staggering even a little. He raised his hand to show Atalaya everything was fine before moving along the ship rail until he reached the shrouds.

With his tongue between his teeth, he started to climb the ropes. No one seemed to notice him, but he still moved with uttermost care. "Just like when hunting," he whispered to himself.

When Roa reached the topgallant, he stood up straight and grabbed his bow from his shoulder. The patrol was about to reach the jib-boom again, so he inhaled deeply before reaching behind his back and withdrawing two arrows from the quiver. He nocked the arrows, waiting for the pirates to move past the foremast before firing both simultaneously.

With a soft _thud_, the arrows buried into the pirates' chests. Roa quickly glanced down behind him, but of the few other pirates on deck, no one had noticed. With adrenaline pumping through his veins, he raised his hand and waved at the edge of the forest, where Atalaya was waiting.

"Alright, the patrol is out of the way," she said and fully transformed into a tiger. "I'll go first, you two follow once I've reached the foremast."

Although clearly surprised by Atalaya's appearance, Lance nodded, and Kitsune gave her his usual smile. "Aye, cap'n."

Without wasting any precious seconds, Atalaya leaped off the ground. She buried her claws into the jib-boom as she landed as an extra precaution, and she soundlessly moved past the bowsprit and onto the deck. She heard someone land on the boom behind her, but she pressed her body flat to the ground and started moving closer to the main mast without looking back.

She caught the scent of a stranger to her right, but barely she had time to turn her head before the sound of an arrow flying through the air reached her ears, and she grinned at Roa's dedication.

When Atalaya reached the main mast, she morphed back into a human, but kept her claws just in case. She turned around and gestured for Kitsune and Lance to get closer.

"Alright, the entrance to the storage and the brig is on the other side of this mast," she said quietly. "Now, there will be other pirates on guard down there, so you'll have to fight, but do so as quietly as you can. You especially, Kitsune," she added sternly as she noticed his excitement. "I know killing gets you all hyped up, but we can't wake the entire ship at a moment like this."

Kitsune rolled his shoulder, but didn't answer. "Alright, I'll lead you to the entrance," Atalaya said. "Let's-"

She had only taken one step before an arrow embedded itself in the floor only a few inches from her foot. She instantly whirled around to look up at Roa, who was wildly waving his hands, making him look like a windmill. "What the hell did he do that for?" Atalaya hissed, but before she could react otherwise, the entire ship became bathed in light.

"I'm sure your little friend is trying to tell you to retreat."

Atalaya groaned in frustration and turned around to find herself face to face with Rocket and what must've been all the members of his crew. They were all armed with either a sword, a gun or a dagger, and now Atalaya saw their amount was larger than she'd anticipated, reaching over one hundred.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Early update, awesome! Oohohoo, getting closer and closer to the epic fight!_

_I messed up so badly this morning... I was supposed to visit the doctor for a routine check-up on my left knee (on which surgery's been performed two years ago), and I totally forgot about it! Might have something to do with the fact that I spent all night writing new episodes for this... I regret nothing!... Okay, I regret the fine that I'll have to pay in a few days... My wallet is thinning!_

_Have a nice start of the week, peeps!_


	30. Ambushed!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode thirty – Ambushed! The battle against Rocket begins!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"How long have you known we were here?" Atalaya asked in an attempt to buy some time.

Rocket grinned maliciously. "Since the beginning," he rumbled. "I had a feeling _you_ would try to do something, but getting my future shipwright to mutiny?" He sighed dramatically and turned his eyes to Lance, who returned the stare with cold fury. "You surprise me, Lance. I thought our deal was already done."

"I've come to take Mira back," the shipwright growled and crossed his trench knives in front of him. "And I plan on doing so without giving up my life for someone like you."

Rocket threw his head back and practically roared with laughter. "What a joke!" he shouted. "You put your faith in the scrawny little brat who punched you back in the village!" He sobered up enough to send Atalaya a scornful glare. "Maybe when my men kill them, you'll see how stupid you really were to put your faith in these kids!"

With those words, his crew emitted a loud roar and started charging towards the trio with their weapons raised. Atalaya backed a few steps and urged forth her ability, growling as her fur stood up straight on her arms in attempt to secure her body from injuries.

"I leave our backs in your hands, Roa," she muttered before breaking off the ground, leaping straight into the mass of enemies. She spun around with outstretched arms, her claws tearing through the skin of all those around her.

Complete chaos broke out on the deck. Screams, the sound of guns being fired and the sound of sword meeting sword made Atalaya shiver with adrenaline. She could faintly hear Kitsune's exhilarated laughter somewhere behind her, and she knew this was his paradise. Although she didn't quite approve of his attitude, it was certainly helpful in this situation.

A bullet came flying towards Atalaya's head, and she managed to avoid it by letting herself drop to the ground. She instantly threw herself back up and buried her teeth into the neck of the one who had fired at her.

She tried and failed to ignore the disgusting taste of the blood that gushed past her lips, and she cursed as she barely had enough time to spit the liquid out when she released the dead pirate. The next opponent was already charging at her with his sword raised, and Atalaya raised her left hand to parry the swing.

She caught a glimpse of Lance and smirked when she saw he was quite skilled with his trench knives. He had designed them himself, making them much deadlier than they ordinarily would be. Not only had he forged the blade to be as long as his forearm, Lance had also installed spikes into the brass knuckles. He was moving through the crowds with such grace, it was like watching him dance.

"What the hell are you doing, you useless pieces of trash?!"

Atalaya growled and kicked her opponent in the gut before turning around to locate Rocket. He was still standing on the same spot, idly watching his crew members get killed without taking any action himself.

"You're the piece of trash," Atalaya snarled and stepped to the side to avoid being cut in half. She slammed her right elbow into the assailant's face, feeling his cheekbones shatter from the impact of her strike. "Kitsune, Lance, can you manage?" she yelled, her eyes glued to Rocket.

"Certainly," Lance said as he dashed past her to take on more of Rocket's crew. Kitsune was too occupied to answer, but the grin on his face was a clear answer.

Atalaya urged forth more of her ability and lowered herself onto all four. She widened her stance, bracing herself against the flooring and inhaling deeply a few times before sprinting forward. She darted between the pirates as if shot out of a canon, and when she broke free from the crowd, she lowered her head and jumped, only giving Rocket enough time to widen his eyes before Atalaya's forehead slammed into his.

Rocket exclaimed in pain and lost his footing. Atalaya tried to bury her claws into Rocket's chest, but his armor made it impossible for her to get a good grip, and when Rocket hit the ground, she was thrown off him by the impact of the fall. Small stars danced before her eyes from the blow against her own forehead, but she quickly got up and backed a few steps to put a safe distance between her and her opponent.

While she waited for Rocket to stand up, she glanced at the crowd and felt a wave of pride wash over her as she saw the number of pirates they were fighting had decreased by more than half. Roa had climbed down from the topgallant when he'd ran out of arrows, and he was now moving around on the deck, using a knife to parry any incoming attacks whilst retrieving as many of his arrows as possible.

Atalaya growled as she watched Rocket slowly stand back up. The hit had made him dizzy, and he rubbed his eyes in an attempt to get rid of the small blurs in his vision. "You little-" His eyes narrowed as he caught Atalaya's glare. "A Devil's Fruit user, huh?" he said slowly. "To think a brat like you would have an ability. What a waste."

"Where's Mira?" Atalaya asked and started prowling in a circle around him, her eyes following his every move.

Rocket chuckled darkly. "Who knows," he sneered and raised his arms. "She just might be somewhere on the ship, crying and begging for her release. But now, before I let you two meet in the afterlife, let's see how well you handle explosives, you cursed cat!"

The fur on Atalaya's stood up straight as Rocket slammed his hands together. Identical holes opened up in the gauntlets on both arms, and two missiles came blasting towards Atalaya, who quickly leaped to the side. She ground her teeth together as she realized the missiles were installed with trackers, and she picked up her speed again just in time to avoid getting hit. The bombs missed her by barely an inch, and she was thrown off her feet as they exploded a few feet behind her.

"Careful to not get blown to pieces!" Rocket cajoled and fired more, his eyes dancing with spite as he watched Atalaya dart around on the deck to dodge the missiles.

"You should be the careful one," she snarled and sprinted to the side until she was standing in front of a large group of Rocket's own crew members. Once the missiles were close enough, Atalaya jumped up high, and the deck split open as the rockets collided with each other and exploded.

A large amount of Rocket's crew were either thrown back from the impact of the blow, or they fell into the hole the explosion had created. Atalaya landed on all four next to the crater, and her lips curled back into a feral sneer as Rocket's eyes drilled into her skull.

"How dare you turn my own attacks on my crew!?" he roared and took a few steps closer to her, his chest seemingly swelling in rage.

Atalaya cautiously moved to the side, determined to keep a safe distance between them. "You just called your own crew 'trash'," she said coldly. "If you attack me with the risk of harming your own crew, you're not worthy of being a captain!"

The corner of Rocket's lips curled backwards into a scowl. "What would you know of a pirate's life?" he asked. "As the captain, I have the right to use my crew in a way that's most beneficial for me!"

Atalaya took a few deep breaths to calm her rapidly rising anger. She eased up on her transformation, taking her human form without letting any fur fade away. From the corner of her eyes, she could see the number of enemies had dropped to around fifty. "Lance!" she shouted without taking her eyes off Rocket.

The shipwright appeared on her side a few seconds later. "You called?" he asked, his expression darkening as he observed Rocket.

"Kitsune and I can manage up here on deck. You take Roa with you and go down below to search for Mira!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Ah, fighting scenes, how I love writing you... _

_More battles coming up on friday, peeps!_


	31. What defines a captain?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode thirty one – What defines a captain? Atalaya versus Rocket!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Kitsune and I can manage up here on deck. You take Roa with you and go down below to search for Mira!"

Lance nodded and turned around to move up to Roa and knock him on the shoulder. "You shall accompany me below deck," he said curtly, not even bothering to form the words into a question. A deep scowl settled onto the archer's face, but after receiving a stern sideways glance from Atalaya, he complied without protest.

"Did I give you permission to leave?" Rocket roared and threw out an arm to stop them, but Atalaya leaped forth and buried her teeth into his undefended hand. She felt the knuckles break underneath her fangs, and although Rocket punched her repeatedly in the temple, she didn't let go until he had stumbled far away enough to not be able to hinder Lance and Roa.

"Did I give _you_ permission to follow?" she snarled, coughing at the vile taste of blood.

"Are you certain you will manage?" Lance called just as he was about to jump down the wide crater in the deck.

"I've got Kitsune with me," Atalaya said and rubbed her throbbing temple where a large bruise was forming. "Go, now!"

Lance parted his lips to say something, but Roa kicked him in the back, making him exclaim in shock and lose his balance, a curse slipping past his lips as he fell into the opening leading down below deck. "Don't lose, Atalaya," the archer said before following the shipwright into the crater.

"I'll leave the rest of Rocket's pirates to you, Kitsune," Atalaya called over her shoulder. "Think you can handle them?"

"I ain't gonna lose ta small fry, cap'n," Kitsune jingled and planted the hilt of the sword into an enemy pirate's face without even looking at him. "At least as long as ya don't lose ta that guy."

Atalaya grinned and nodded. Rocket was quickly recovering, clutching to his bleeding hand while probably every curse he knew rolled through his teeth. "He called you captain," he hissed and glared at Atalaya. "You're a pirate?"

"I am," Atalaya said. "The one who will become the Pirate King."

A malicious smirk ghosted over Rocket's lips. "You're not a pirate," he said darkly. "Real pirates have enough sense to not say something as idiotic as that."

"Those who don't say what they want are cowards," Atalaya retorted and widened her stance. "Or they're just fooling themselves."

"It's idiots like you who die at the Grand Line," Rocket shouted. "Brats who think too highly of themselves! Pieces of trash who one day tells the wrong person they want to find One Piece and get killed!"

Atalaya ground her teeth together and broke away from the ground, dashing towards Rocket as if shot right out of a cannon. "Someone like you are not the one to decide what qualifies a pirate!" she growled and raised her right arm. "Claw Gun!"

Her claws connected with Rocket's armor with an earsplitting _clang_, and the momentum of the strike threw her arm back, leaving her right side exposed.

"You can't defeat me!" Rocket said and laughed as he drove a heavily armed hand into Atalaya's ribs. The impact sent her flying, but she managed to angle her body to land on all four. She sucked in deep breaths to get the air back into her lungs, and she smirked when she noticed a small crack had appeared in Rocket's armor.

She stood up straight and cracked her knuckles. "Yes, I can," she said calmly. "And I will." She braced herself to take off, but before she could even take one step, Rocket raised his arms and started firing missiles again, rapidly shooting out one after the other.

"Let's see if you can even survive my missile storm!" he yelled.

Atalaya growled and threw herself to the side to avoid being blown up. She heard the deck shatter as it was hit, but she didn't waste time on looking over her shoulder. Instead, she put all of her concentration into her speed, running across the deck as fast as her legs would carry her.

She sprinted past Rocket to the rear side of the ship and, using her claws as leverage, she quickly started climbing up the mizzen mast. She felt the pole cringe as the missiles blew away large parts of the wood, and the second she got to the topgallant, she leaped over to the main mast.

"I'm getting tired of your constant running!" Rocket shouted. His eyes traveled from Atalaya to Kitsune, and a sinister smirk appeared on his lips. "Let's see how _he_ handles missiles!"

As if in slow motion, Atalaya watched him take aim at Kitsune, who was too busy handling ten other pirates to notice. The sound of the missile being fired sent a cold shiver down Atalaya's spine, and her body acted on its own as it sensed the danger drawing closer to her companion. Before her mind could even process what she was doing, she jumped off the mast.

She barely had time enough to urge her fur to grow as rough as possible before she landed on the deck, her legs screaming in protest at the long fall. She ignored the pain and ground her teeth together in determination, not hesitating for even a second as she stood up and turned around just in time to welcome the missiles straight into her arms.

The explosion sent her flying backwards and she crashed into the foremast. Countless splinters dug into her smoldering skin as the impact of the crash seemed to make her sink into the wood, and she struggled to get her lungs working. She groaned as she pushed away from the mast, but her legs gave in and she dropped to her knees, coughing to get rid of the smoke she had swallowed. The smell of burnt skin triggered a vomiting effect, and after swallowing repeatedly to ensure she wouldn't throw up, she slowly stood up straight.

"What happened ta ya?"

She blinked rapidly a few times to get rid of the blurs in her vision and found Kitsune standing next to her. A deep crease had settled into his forehead, and his wide smirk was quickly fading. After staring up at him for a few moments, Atalaya exhaled sharply and staggered to her feet, forcing a wide grin. "Felt sorry for him, had to allow him to get at least one hit," she said, failing to sound nonchalant. "Are you done with the small fry?"

Kitsune's smile was nowhere to be seen as he nodded. "Just finished," he said.

"Good. Then go below deck and help Lance and Roa find Mira."

"Cap'n-"

"That's an order," Atalaya bit off and walked past him. Kitsune stared after her for a few seconds before sighing and doing as he was told.

"What is this misplaced sentimentality?" Rocket laughed as Atalaya took her stand in front of him again. "Aren't you the captain?"

"I... I _am_ the captain," Atalaya coughed. A sour taste washed over her tongue and she spit out a lump of blood onto the deck, a grimace making its way onto her face. "That is exactly why I did what I did."

"How idiotic can you be? A captain uses his crew to stay alive, not the other way around!"

A feral snarl rolled tore its way up from Atalaya's throat and she rushed forward once more. Without giving Rocket time to react, she raised both of her arms to brace for an attack, grounding her teeth together as her burnt skin stung in protest. "Twin Claw Gun!" she yelled and struck the armor again, feeling the crack spread further underneath her hands. The attack had the same effect as last time, but this time Atalaya was prepared. As her arms were thrown back, she pushed off the ground, using the momentum of the impact to jump backwards to avoid Rocket's fist.

Rocket laughed. "You can try all you want, but you can't defeat me!" he said. "We're not the same level's pirate!"

"Damn right we're not the same level's pirate!" Atalaya screamed, feeling her throat constrict. "Just as a king is nothing without his people, a captain is nothing without his crew!" She crouched down, bracing her right hand against the deck as she prepared herself for the next attack. "I will never lose to someone like you!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Agh, the scene where Atalaya willingly takes on the missiles to prevent Kitsune from getting hit... I'm a sucker for these kinds of moves, so you can imagine how excited I was to write that scene. Anyways, the battle continues on monday, hope you'll have the patience to wait!_

_Cheers!_


	32. Trouble below deck!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode thirty two – Trouble below deck! Beware the prison guard!**

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Two stories underneath the deck, Lance was rushing through the dark corridors of the ship with Roa trying his best to keep up. The ship's insides were like a maze, making it almost impossible to locate the brig without specific guidance.

The impact of the explosions up on deck made the entire ship rock violently. "Do you think she'll be alright?" Lance asked and stared into the ceiling, a concerned crease in his forehead.

"Worry about _your_ girl instead," Roa snapped. "Our captain is stronger than you think."

Lance frowned, but his attention was snatched away when he found a door they hadn't tried yet. "Over here," he said and hurried up to it. He paused momentarily to press his ears against it to make sure it was empty before he kicked it open, revealing a large room with nothing but boxes stacked on top of each other.

"It's just a storage," Roa said and made way to move back out into the hall, but Lance grabbed hold of his wrist and pulled him deeper inside the room. "Let go of me!"

"Shush!"

Lance closed the door behind him and pressed a hand over Roa's mouth to stop him from making any noise. "There's someone following us," he hissed. "We'll have to be quiet if we want to escape!"

The sound of heavy footsteps reached Roa's ears, and he instantly stopped struggling. They stood perfectly still next to the door, listening as the footsteps approached the door to the storage room. When they were just outside, they stopped momentarily, as if their source was trying to decide on whether to enter the room or not.

Just as Roa was about to move a little closer to the door, it was flung open. It slammed against Roa's forehead, and he had to slam his teeth together to not exclaim in pain. He was quickly and none too gently pulled back by Lance, and as he stumbled against the wall, he raised both hands to press them against the bruise forming on his brow, a soundless curse gusting past his lips.

The dim light from the corridor cast a shadow in the doorway. The man who was following them was either extremely fat, or he was just dressed in really thick armor. The height of their follower was intimidating, as Roa could see the shadow's head was cut off by the doorframe.

The shadow stood in the doorframe for the longest seconds in Roa's life, slowly turning its head back and forth. Finally, after almost a full minute, it turned around and closed the door.

"We'll have to be careful," Lance mumbled and silently approached the door. "He's gone. I suggest we follow him. I'm certain he will lead us to Mira."

"Oh, you're _certain_?" Roa growled and pushed past him. "He's an enemy, but sure, let's follow him. I'm sure nothing bad's gonna happen if we do that."

Lance scowled at the obvious sarcasm in the archer's tone. "If you have a better idea, Goldilocks, do tell."

"Did you just call me-"

A creak from the opposite direction made Roa flinch and bite his tongue in the process of biting off his sentence. "Alright, fine, let's follow the huge bad guy," he muttered and stepped out into the corridor, his nerves on the verge of breaking as he heard the shipwright sigh dramatically behind him.

They moved deeper and deeper into the ship, following the distant sound of footsteps. Every now and then, the ceiling above them shook from the ongoing battle upstairs, and even Roa couldn't help but glance up in concern every now and then.

After one full minute of walking, the footsteps suddenly stopped. Roa and Lance halted simultaneously, instinctively grabbing hold of each others' arms in case they had to hinder the other from moving. They stood completely still, glaring daggers at each other as they listened intently for any sound their target could make.

The silence stretched on for so long, Roa slowly released himself from Lance's grip and soundlessly prowled further along the corridor. He ignored Lance's furious gestures and peeked around the corner to see a long hall, with a single door halfway through.

"He's not here," he mumbled and motioned for the shipwright to follow as he began moving closer to the door.

When he was right next to it, he heard a silent sniffle from the other side. He pressed a finger to his lips to silently tell Lance to be quiet and pointed at the door. "I think it's the brig," he breathed out, slamming his hand over the shipwright's mouth as he looked like he was going to speak. Roa ignored the glare of disdain Lance sent him and turned around, inhaling deeply before he grabbed the handle and pushed it down.

Thick bars was the first thing that caught Roa's eyes. The prisons were designed to not let the captured see anything at all; the iron bars were crossed like a net, running in horizontal and vertical lines from the walls and the roof.

A scraping sound made him whirl around and nock an arrow, ready to fire at whoever was approaching them, but the sound came from inside one of the cells.

"W-who's there?" The voice was female, and Lance practically threw Roa out of the way as he rushed closer to the cell.

"Mira?" he asked and grabbed hold of the bars as if he wanted to bend them apart.

The brig fell silent for a moment, then the voice spoke again. "L-Lance? Is that you?"

Lance laughed in relief. "I came to save you, Mira," he said and leaned against the bars as if he was trying to melt through them. "I came with Atalaya, Kitsune and... we came to save you!"

"Say my name, dammit!" Roa snapped and punched Lance's shoulder. "Ungrateful bastard..."

"Lance, you have to get out of here!" Mira said, her voice almost hysterical. "The guard..!"

"Everything is all right, Mira. That man is not here anymore."

"No, you have to leave," Mira stressed. "He's here, he's gonna-"

Her sentence was cut off when the door was blasted off the hinges, flying across the room and crashing into the opposite wall. Roa exclaimed in shock and whirled around with his bow raised and ready to fire, but the sight of the man who stepped through the shattered doorway made his determination falter.

Abnormally large, the man had to crouch down to not hit his head against the roof. A lion-like mane of dark brown hair rose from his head, and not only was he thickly built with muscle, he was covered in massive plate armor, making him seem like a large robot built with the sole purpose to destroy.

"Exterminate intruders," he rumbled slowly, his voice sounding sleep-deprived. "Captain's orders."

Up on deck, Atalaya staggered as she felt the wood underneath her quiver. She quickly glanced down at the deck before placing her attention on Rocket, who was grinning widely.

"It's started," he stated gleefully.

"What did you do?" Atalaya growled.

Rocket tilted his head to the side with a wild grin threatening to disrupt the figures of his face. "Your pathetic excuse for a crew is sure in for a surprise," he said, the sight of panic in Atalaya's eyes making him chortle. "Only an idiot would leave the little princess without a guard, wouldn't you agree?"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _I'm evil, aren't I? Flipping from Atalaya's fight to another scene just as it was about to get good..._

_I can reveal that the man who appears in the brig at the end of the episode actually wasn't gonna exist at all. Roa and Lance were just supposed to save Mira without any trouble, but the I began writing this episode and decided I wanted there to be a dangerous enemy for the duo to handle._

_Cheers, and see you on wednesday!_


	33. Panic in the brig!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode thirty three – Panic in the brig! Lance and Roa in trouble!**

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Roa growled as he felt the cold iron bars press into his back. He was cornered by the large man with no possible escape route in the damaged room. Half of the brig had been blasted away, and to get to the door, he would have to not only manage to run past the prison guard, but also jump over a large crater in the wood between him and the door.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked and tightened the grip on his bow. His weapon and the nocked arrow seemed to be the only thing that stood between him and getting beat to death.

"Jet," the guard said and dragged his feet a little closer, his lazy eyes focused on the arrowhead. "Prison Guard Jet."

A frustrated hiss rolled through Roa's teeth as he glanced towards the door, where Lance was standing. He was breathing heavily, having taken a full hit to the ribs to prevent Mira's cell from being smashed to pieces and her along with it.

Jet stepped closer still, and just as Roa was about to label the situation as 'critical', another explosion from above shook the entire ship, momentarily throwing the large man off balance. Roa quickly aimed his bow down, firing the arrow right through Jet's left shoe. The big man growled and stumbled forward, and Roa wasted no time in stepping up on his armor and jumping across the opening.

He barely managed to reach the small intact space in front of the door, and he instantly pushed it open. "Come on, we can't fight him here," he said and grabbed hold of Lance's wrist. "We have to get to a more open area."

"I'm not leaving Mira!" Lance shouted and tried to struggle free, but Roa gave his arm a sharp tug, effectively sending the shipwright stumbling face first into the wall.

"He's after us, not her, pretty boy," Roa growled. "If we fight here, she'll be dead before we can even begin to harm this guy!"

Without wasting more time, he dragged Lance out of the room. He could hear Jet's growl as he pulled out the arrow from his foot and prepared to follow them, so Roa sped up, desperately trying to navigate through the maze of corridors. "The storage room should be good enough," he said and glanced over his shoulder.

The heavy footsteps drew closer and closer, but then, just like before, they suddenly vanished. Roa instantly halted, huffing when Lance ran straight into him.

"Why would you stop so suddenly?" the shipwright grumbled and rubbed his nose.

"Shh!"

Roa listened intently, but he couldn't hear a thing. "He vanished again," he said and twisted around, trying to figure out where the man was. "I can't sense him at all."

"Perhaps he went back to Mira," Lance breathed out and started moving in the direction they had come from.

"Don't!"

Roa grabbed the collar of Lance's jacket and pulled him back just as the wall in front of him shattered. The impact knocked them both of their feet, and a pained groan escaped Roa's lips as a large splinter of wood was pressed into his side.

Jet stepped out of the hole in the wall, coughing as the dust of the small space was whipped up into a cloud around him. "Stop running and just die quickly," he rumbled and fanned his face in an attempt to clear the smoke. "Captain's orders."

"No, thank you," Lance snorted and quickly pulled Roa to his feet. The archer winced as the splinter sunk deeper into his skin, but he ground his teeth together to distract himself from the pain and the both of them resumed running.

"We have to find that storage," he coughed. "I'm no good at close combat."

"Go figure," Lance said and stopped as they reached an opening with two possible directions. "Left, right, left, right..."

"That guy's gonna appear any second now, so hurry up and choose one!"

Lance scowled. "Alright, left," he snapped and dragged Roa along with him. They kept running, trying to keep to the left as much as possible. As they ran, a few more explosions were heard from above.

"Are you sure she's okay?" Lance panted when they rounded a corner.

"Worry more about yourself," Roa muttered, although he couldn't keep the concern out of his voice. Silence settled between them, until they turned right at the next corner, and Lance sighed in relief at the sight of the open door.

"There's the storage," he said and slowed down. "In here we should be able to-"

His sentence was cut off as the wall next to them was blasted open. Roa barely caught a glimpse of Jet's face before the large man lunged at the two, crushing them into the opposite wall and pushing until the wood gave in. All three of them rolled into the storage room, knocking over several boxes before they skidded to a stop.

Although it felt like his entire ribcage had shattered, Roa quickly struggled to his feet and looked around. Jet was approaching him from the other end of the room, so he raised his bow and reached for an arrow, only to realize his quiver was empty. An icy chill started flowing through his veins, and he strapped the bow over his shoulder and withdrew a knife from his belt.

Beside him, Lance slowly stood up, massaging his ribs and coughing repeatedly. "Can you fight?" Roa asked without taking his eyes off Jet.

The shipwright nodded and equipped his trench knives. "Though I don't know of how much help these will be against someone who can dig through walls," he said.

They held their ground as Jet moved closer. "Why won't you just die already?" the guard sighed. "I was told to eliminate all intruders. Captain's orders."

"I cannot die before Mira has been rescued," Lance said coldly.

Roa raised his knife a little higher. "Do you think Atalaya will forgive you if you die _after_ we've saved Mira?" he asked and grinned.

"Enough talking." Jet lowered himself and, like a bull, he charged at them with his head lowered. Roa moved to the side and thrust his knife forward, but the second it connected with Jet's armor, the blade broke clean off from the hilt.

Jet smirked and stretched out his arms. Lance barely managed to avoid having his ribs crushed by throwing himself down on the ground, but Roa was less successful. The heavy armor slammed into his abdomen, the air leaving Roa's lungs as he was thrown down onto the floor. He felt the splinter sink even further into him, but the shattering pain in his chest stole all of his attention.

With a growl, he kicked his legs off the ground, managing to plant his heel into Jet's chin. The large man grumbled and staggered back, and Roa clumsily climbed to his feet, inhaling deeply in an attempt to regulate his breathing. He watched Jet stride up to him, but when he attempted to back away, he found his legs had stopped listening to him.

"You'll be the first to be eliminated," Jet said and stopped when he stood only a few feet away from the archer, raising his armored hand and forming it into a fist. "Captain's orders."

Roa's eyes widened as he realized exactly how bad his situation was. _If I only had an arrow..!_ Everything seemed to move in slow motion, and the archer squeezed his eyes shut to not have to watch Jet's fist draw closer.

"Roa!"

Lance's voice reached his ears, and he was about to sigh at this first use of his name when another large explosion shook the room, this time coming from the same floor. Roa snapped open his eyes to locate the source of the explosion, and what he saw made him stumble backwards, falling on his butt in pure shock.

Kitsune was standing in front of him with Hebi Kotei lined up along his back, the thin blade holding back Jet's weight. An almost hungry smile danced on his lips, and a wave of goosebumps broke out on Roa's arms at the amount of bloodlust the pale man emitted.

"Looks like ya could use my help, blondie."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Them cliffhangers just keep comin', huh?_

_I'll admit something; I have no idea whether Jet has some form of Devil's Fruit or not. I never really gave him much thought, but either he has an unknown fruit, or there's just a lot of tunnels in the ship. The latter sounds more believable to me._

_The fight continues on friday, folks!_


	34. Sword meets armor!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode thirty four – Sword meets armor! Kitsune versus Jet!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Roa blinked repeatedly, trying to decide whether what he was seeing was an illusion or not. His heart was thundering in his chest, and he was panting as if he'd just ran a marathon as he stared up at Kitsune, who didn't even seem to notice his distress.

"Fox face," he breathed out, but before he could say anything else, Lance appeared behind him, grabbed grabbed hold of his shoulders and dragged him backwards and away from the two others. "Let go of me, bastard," Roa growled and tried to swat away the shipwright's hands, but the shock had drained all of the strength in his arms.

"Stop squirming," Lance snapped. "If you can move, then walk on your own."

Roa ground his teeth together and used a toppled over box as leverage to pull himself to his feet. He had to lean against the box to not fall again as his legs felt shaky, and he emitted a silent exclaim when the the box pressed against the piece of wood in his side. Roa looked down, his eyebrows arching as if he'd completely forgotten the splinter was there at all, and he raised a hand to tentatively poke at the small piece that was still visible. "I have to get it out before it goes all the way in," he muttered. He locked his fingers around the splinter and, without listening to Lance's protest, he pulled it out.

The pain threatened to black out his vision, and he drove his fist into the wall to distract himself. "Shit," he hissed and flicked the six inch long splinter onto the floor. He withdrew the already bloodied piece of silk from his pocket and pressed it against the bleeding cut.

"Take him out, fox face," he mumbled and lifted his gaze to Kitsune and Jet, who hadn't moved even an inch from their positions.

Kitsune braced himself and turned around, holding back Jet with both of his hands on the hilt of his katana. "Yer a big fella," he stated and smirked. "Think ya can take on li'l me?"

"More enemies to exterminate," Jet sighed and pulled back. "I want to go back to sleep, but... captain's orders."

He leaned back and raised his right arm to strike again, but before he could even clench his hand into a fist, Kitsune stepped forward and slammed Hebi Kotei's hilt into Jet's chest armor. The bigger man grunted ever so slightly, but no visible damage had befallen either him nor the heavy metal.

"Futile," Jet rumbled and lowered his fist to smash Kitsune's skull, but with a pirouette-like twirl, Kitsune stepped out of range.

"Yer armor is strong, I'll give ya that," he said and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Arite, let's try out somethin' else."

He flipped the katana so he was now pointing the blunt side of the blade at Jet. The large man scowled, and he lowered himself in the same way as before, ready to charge straight at the pale man in front of him. He broke off the ground as if shot out of a canon and when he was close enough to his target, he raised his arms to strike.

"Impressive," Kitsune sang. He inhaled deeply a few times before stepping forward, ducking under Jet's arms with ease and raising Hebi Kotei.

The blunt side of the sword connected with the armor with a deafening sound. Jet was stopped in the middle of his charge, and he dropped to his knees and coughed a few times in an attempt to get rid of the pressuring feeling the impact had caused his chest.

As he stood back up, Kitsune sighed as he saw the armor was still very much intact. "Arite, maybe it has ta be the sharp side," he said and shrugged, Hebi Kotei hanging loosely by his side as he waited for Jet to regain his composure.

"How annoying," the guard said and straightened up to his full length. "Flies should drop dead when they're swatted."

"True," Kitsune said and chuckled, a little too menacingly. "But, ya know, ya haven't lain even a single finger on me yet."

Jet's expression darkened, and he slowly pressed down two identical buttons on his gauntlets. Thick, four inch long spikes appeared over his knuckles, and he raised both of his arms as he prepared to charge again.

A sigh passed Kitsune's lips and he lifted his sword high over his head. "Ya just don't know when ta quit, do ya?" he said. "Yer too slow fer me."

An animal-like sound escaped Jet as he took off once more, rapidly drawing closer to the swordsman. He angled his arms to aim at Kitsune's ribs, and when he got close enough to strike, he thrust his arms forward. A second of relief washed over the guard as he felt the spikes sink into his opponent's skin before Kitsune swung his sword to draw the large X over Jet's chest.

"Cross Cut."

A moment of complete silence settled in the room. Everything was still, until the sound of something slowly breaking caught everyone's attention. A large, cross-shaped cut had appeared on Jet's armor, and countless cracks were quickly spreading to the armor that covered his shoulders and arms.

"Ya lose, big guy," Kitsune stated.

The armor shattered, small pieces falling to the floor like rain. Jet's eyes widened, and he looked down at Kitsune with what could only be interpreted as fear. He slowly stepped back, withdrawing his arms from his opponent's sides.

The spikes had just barely pierced Kitsune's skin, but when they were pulled out, the small puncture wounds still started bleeding. The smirk on the swordsman's lips grew cold, and he raised Hebi Kotei once more.

Jet backed further still, his eyes now filled with horror. "Don't..." he wheezed. "Stop, please, don't..."

"A warrior doesn't beg fer his life," Kitsune jingled and swung his katana, drawing a deep cut in the guard's chest.

A terrible scream tore through Jet's throat, and then, the room fell silent. With no more enemies to cut down, Kitsune didn't even bother to watch as Jet fell to the floor. He turned on the heel and strolled up to Roa and Lance, smiling at them as if nothing special had just happened. "That was fun," he said cheerfully. He took a seat on one of the boxes and started wiping Hebi Kotei clean of blood. "Where's the li'l lady we came ta rescue?"

Lance flinched as if he'd just remembered exactly why they were here. "Mira!" he exclaimed and started moving towards the door. "I shall go free her, and after that we can hurry upstairs to help-"

"No."

Both he and Roa turned to stare at Kitsune as if they couldn't believe their ears. He didn't falter at all under their glares, his smile just widened as he sheathed Hebi Kotei.

Roa found his voice first. "What do you mean, 'no'?" he asked. "We have to get up there and help the captain."

"No, ya don't," Kitsune said. "Ya can go ahead and save the li'l missy, but I ain't gonna let ya go up on deck."

"Are you out of your mind?" Lance exclaimed and took a few steps closer. "We don't know what will happen to her, what is happening to her right now!"

Kitsune tilted his head to the side. "'S that how li'l fate ya have in our cap'n?" he asked, his voice cold as ice. "Ya still see her as a fragile lady."

"Of course I do!" Lance yelled. "Because that's what she is!"

Roa sighed and rubbed his forehead. "She's the furthest thing from a lady one could possibly be," he said. "_You_ are more of a lady than she is, pretty boy."

"Aye," Kitsune said and grinned. "And of what help would ya be up there? The cap'n sent me down here so she wouldn't have ta worry 'bout us getting' caught in the midst of their battle."

A frustrated sound emerged from Lance's throat, but he stopped arguing. He stood still for a few seconds, trying to think of something to say, but when nothing popped into his mind, he turned on the heel and stormed towards the corridor.

"Where are you-"

"To save Mira!"

Kitsune chuckled as he and Roa listened to the shipwright stomp through the hall. A brief silence stretched between them before the archer sighed and leaned against the wall. "Now what do we do?" he asked.

"Now we wait."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Well, that's one down! I feel like I should tell Kitsune to not play with his food..._

_Oh yeah, I was wondering; do you think I should give every new posted chapter a title? You know, instead of naming them, "Episode something something", I'd name them after the first line of each episode. So this episode, for instance, would be "Sword meets armor!"... which isn't really that good of a name... _

_Gah! _

_You tell me what you want; a) keep naming them after the episode number, or b) name them after the first line of the episode title_


	35. Final strike!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode thirty five – Final strike! Rocket and Atalaya's showdown!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"That doesn't bode well for you," Atalaya said tantalizingly as Jet's scream echoed through the damaged planks of the deck. "Sounds like your guard was useless against my comrades."

Rocket's expression morphed into that of pure rage. "How dare you," he growled, clawing at his hair in frustration. "You and your _crew_... how _dare_ you?!"

His voice evolved into a roar as he broke away from the ground, his arms raised to strike his opponent. Atalaya crouched down and waited, waited until Rocket was only a few feet away from her before she threw herself forward, tumbling through the space between Rocket's legs.

She wrapped her tail around his ankle as she got to the other side of him. Without giving him time to turn around, Atalaya locked her hands around her tail and tugged, yanking Rocket off his feet and slamming him into the deck. A hiss rolled through her teeth at the pain the throw caused her back, but she quickly recovered and sprinted forward as the larger man was about to raise himself again.

"Claw Gun!" she snarled, striking the chest plate for the third time, her ears curling back at the loud _clang_ the contact emitted. Rocket grunted and the crack spread a little further, although not nearly enough to break it.

Atalaya quickly stepped back, but before she could move out of range, Rocket caught hold of her tail. "This damned thing," he scowled, his teeth bared in fury as he tightened his grip. "Might as well just rip it off!"

He tugged sharply, and Atalaya exclaimed as it felt like he was trying to tear her arm or leg straight off. The pain forced her to move back towards her opponent, and when she was close enough, Rocket released one hand to smash it against Atalaya's chest. She coughed as she felt her ribs crack, and when she saw Rocket raise his fist again, she quickly had to decide which pain was milder, the one in her lungs or back.

Deciding to spare her chest from another punch, Atalaya took a few steps to the side to dodge the strike, but the second she put a safe distance between her and Rocket, he began tearing on her tail again, the pain making Atalaya bury her claws into the deck and claw at the wood to distract herself.

"What's the matter, stray cat?" Rocket cajoled. His voice was lacking reason, making him sound like he'd lost his mentality. "Where's all that previous confidence?"

Atalaya ground her teeth together until she felt her enlarged fangs press into her old scars, and it was with great effort she managed to turn to face her opponent. An idea had popped into her mind, and she had to use it fast before Rocket actually ripped the tail clean off her body.

"This sure looks painful," the captain sneered and widened his stance. "How about _this_?!"

He pulled with all his strength, but Atalaya was ready. She jumped at the same time as Rocket tugged, and she was pulled towards him with his own strength increasing her force as she once again struck the armor with both hands.

"Twin Claw Gun!"

The impact made Rocket release Atalaya, and she instantly put over twenty feet between them, the fur on her back standing up straight as she turned to observe the captain, a feral snarl rolling past her teeth. She winced as she retracted her aching tail back into her body, preventing her from using it again and protecting it from further danger.

As Rocket straightened his back, Atalaya silently wondered how he couldn't have noticed the now quite large crack in his armor. He only had eyes for her, and she could certainly use that as an advantage. She looked around her, a slight surprise rising through her mind as she saw the deck was almost completely destroyed.

"Now do you see why I need a shipwright?" Rocket asked and cracked his neck to the side, sighing in content as the tension loosened. "Because of the way I and my first mate, Jet, fight, our ship is constantly in ruins. I need someone who can keep up with the ship's needs."

"Why don't you just _ask_ someone to join your crew?" Atalaya said loudly. "Using another human being as leverage to force them to travel with you is disgusting!"

Rocket's eyes narrowed. "We're pirates," he said, a hint of amusement hidden in his tone. "We don't have to follow the etiquettes of normal people. That's why we _become_ pirates."

"We become pirates to chase our own dreams, no matter what the people or the marines say," Atalaya growled. "We don't become pirates so we can follow an unspoken _law_ to behave like lowly animals!"

"You..!" Rocket was just about to say something, but he changed his mind, pressed his lips together and dismissively shook his head. "I'd only waste my time talking to a brat like you," he said and raised his arms. "Let's see you take on another missile storm instead."

Atalaya turned around before he even had time to fire the first missiles and had already reached the foremast when the first shots were fired, and by the time they reached the mast, she was halfway up to the top.

The pole cringed as half of it was blown away by the bombs, but she was prepared for it. She could feel the damaged timber start cracking and splitting, slowly tipping the mast forward. Atalaya buried her claws into the topgallant and inhaled deeply as the wood finally broke and the foremast fell.

Rocket realized a second too late what was about to happen. He blinked rapidly a few times before seeing the mast was falling straight in his direction, and as if paralyzed, he stood completely still, his eyes wide as he watched the rapidly approaching pole. The mast crashed down straight on top of him, and a rush of goosebumps broke out all over Atalaya's arms as she heard his precious armor shatter underneath the weight of the mast.

"The ship can also fight," she mumbled. She quickly let go of the topgallant and hurried to the other side of the deck, breathing heavily as she waited for Rocket to rise again. Even without his armor, she knew Rocket wasn't dead and true enough, he emerged from underneath the mess of wood and sails a minute later.

The armor had been completely destroyed. It had fallen off, leaving nothing behind to keep Rocket's body safe. His nose looked almost comically disfigured after being flattened by the foremast, but the image he presented, with cuts and bruises all over his face and neck was still quite intimidating.

"Y-you're... you're gonna regret this," he coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood onto the floor. The guns on his arms were still intact, and he lifted them, growling as he tried to stop his arm from trembling enough to get a good aim at Atalaya. "I'm not gonna let you get out of here alive!"

He fired missile after missile, but they missed his target by far. They hit what remained of the deck, the ship rail, they even flew as far as the edge of the lagoon before exploding by themselves. The tracker system had obviously been damaged by the crash since barely any missiles even flew in Atalaya's direction.

She didn't move from her spot except for occasionally dodging a missile that got close. She waited until Rocket stopped firing and snarled when he withdrew a short sword from behind his back. "So I'll just stab you to death," he growled and took a few steps closer.

A soft snarl passed Atalaya's lips and she transformed into a tiger. She braced herself, waiting for Rocket to start running before she sprung forward. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Rocket raise his sword to strike, and she pressed herself flat to the deck. She heard the sword pass above her head, and with a final growl, she pushed off the ground and buried her teeth into Rocket's neck.

The second Atalaya felt him stop flailing, she released him and backed away. She spat out a large amount of blood onto the deck, and she watched Rocket helplessly stagger backwards until his foot hit the foremast and he fell backwards into the pile of wood and sails, where he lay motionless.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Phew! Now I don't have to write about Rocket anymore! I really didn't like him. I mean, some of the "bad guys" I create I tend to like, but Rocket was a downright asshole scumbag. Yes, he was._

_And thanks for giving me your opinions on the titling system! I decided to name the episodes after the first line of the title. It might seem a little strange for some episodes, since the first line may be short or make absolutely no sense, but... Well, you're just gonna have to live with that! :)_

_Cheers, and see you on wednesday, peeps!_


	36. Returning safely!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode thirty six – Returning safely! Feelings of a warrior!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya exhaled sharply and morphed back into a human. Every cell in her body practically screamed in exhaustion, and she huffed in content as she sat down on the deck. She stretched her arms to the sides, shivering at the feeling in her sore muscles.

"Good fight, good fight," she sighed, sucking in lungfuls of air in attempt to stabilize her breathing as well as relax her body. The slightly burnt skin on her arms protested ever so slightly when a breeze hit it, but already the pain seemed more distant than before.

"Ya done now?"

She glanced over her shoulder and grinned widely when she saw Kitsune, Roa, Lance and Mira all emerge from the huge crater in the deck. A large, bulging sack was hanging from Kitsune's hand, but Atalaya was too relieved to even notice it.

"You look beat," she said and rose to her feet. "Even you, Kitsune, what happened to your chest?"

Kitsune looked down and his eyebrows arched as if he noticed only now he was bleeding. He let escape a silent, "Oh.", and looked back up, tilting his head to the side. "Felt sorry fer the guy, had ta allow him ta get at least one hit," he said with a crooked smirk. He lifted the bag he was holding and his smirk grew wider. "Found somethin' neat in the corner of the storage room."

He tossed the bag to Atalaya, who huffed as the weight made her sore arms tremble. She quickly dropped it to the ground and opened it, a delighted laugh escaping her lips as she found it was full of gold and jewels.

"That should be enough ta cover our ship, dont'cha think?

Before Atalaya could even nod, she was practically tackled to the ground as Mira hugged her. She locked her arms around Atalaya's chest and sobbed loudly, her previous lady-like appearance gone with the wind. "Why would you get so beat up because of me?" she whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks like a stream. "You don't even know me, and you look..."

Slightly at loss for what to do, Atalaya grabbed hold of Mira's shoulders and gently lifted her up. "I don't actually know myself," she said. "After I saw Rocket's behavior down at the docks, I just got angry. And after almost chewing the head off Lance, I couldn't really let him come alone," she added and offered the shipwright a wide smirk.

"What?" Mira sat up straight and looked from Atalaya to Lance and back. "What did you do to him?" she asked.

"Nothing much," Atalaya said. "Just stopped him from doing something really stupid."

She helped Mira to her feet and looked at Roa, who'd been oddly quiet. "What's the matter?" she asked and leaned forward to get a proper look at his face.

When he didn't answer, she turned around to address the rest. "You guys get back to Lance's place," she said and clapped her hands together. "We'll be right behind you."

Kitsune nodded and picked up the sack of gold before motioning for Lance and Mira to follow him. As soon as they were out of range, Atalaya turned back to the archer. "Would you tell me?" she asked.

"I..." Roa seemed to chew on his words, like he didn't know how to form them properly. "I was completely useless down there," he finally said. "I couldn't do a thing against that prison guard, and if fox face had arrived a few seconds later, I'd be..."

He ground his teeth together and stared down at his feet. Atalaya was completely silent, letting him take his time to say what he wanted said. After being quiet for a few moments, Roa found his words again, and from his voice alone, Atalaya could tell he was extremely disappointed in himself.

"I'm just not sure if I can sail with you," he mumbled. "If I'm weak, I can't help you become the Pirate King, and I don't want you to see me as a burden."

Atalaya nodded and rubbed her cheek as she searched for the right words to use. "You know, what happened to you down there was my fault," she said gravely. "I thought there would only be a few crew members below deck. I miscalculated, and I'm sorry."

Shocked, Roa stared at her with eyes the size of dinner plates. "That's not what I-"

"You're not useless, Roa," she interrupted. "Do you think I would've thrown myself into a sea of enemies if I didn't know you'd keep my back safe? Not a single pirate even got close to attacking me, _or_ Kitsune, _or_ Lance from the behind because _you_ were able to keep them off."

A brief silence settled between them, and Atalaya left Roa alone with his thoughts for half a minute before she put a hand on his shoulder. "Everyone can't be good at everything, and you've already proven yourself worthy of sailing with the future Pirate King," she said, beaming.

"But compare me to the fox face, he defeated that Jet so easily..."

"Put a bow in Kitsune's hands and he'd probably manage to blow up the entire ship somehow," Atalaya huffed. "And if we'd make him navigate, we'd end up in hell before we'd even reach the next island."

Roa couldn't help but chuckle, and Atalaya grinned as the atmosphere lightened up. "Alright," she said and playfully punched the archer's shoulder. "Let's get back to Lance's house."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

When they had climbed up the hill on which Lance's house resided, they found Kitsune sitting outside. "Did ya have a nice chat?" he asked and stood up.

"Very." Atalaya leaned to the side and tried to look through the closest window. "Why are you waiting out here?"

"That li'l lady went crazy when fancy pants told her he would'a given himself up in return fer her release," Kitsune said and shrugged. "Got fed up with the screamin', so I came out here ta wait fer them to stop."

Atalaya grinned widely. "Well, it sounds quiet now," she said and casually strolled into the house.

The room was lit up by a single oil lamp on the counter. Lance was nowhere to be seen, so Atalaya threw herself down in a chair and sighed in content as her muscles could finally relax completely. "What a night," she breathed out. Her skin was still stinging from the explosion, but she didn't have the strength to care at the moment.

Just as Roa and Kitsune had found seats for themselves, Lance appeared from the door to his workshop. "Oh, you have returned," he said and stepped around the corner.

"Where's Mira?"

"Just put her to sleep. Or forced her to sleep is more like it. She didn't agree to lie down at first, but the very second her head touched the pillow, she drifted off."

Atalaya chuckled softly. "She must've been tired," she said. "Being kidnapped isn't really a very relaxing way to spend your day."

"True," Lance sighed. "But she has to recover from this, and..."

He didn't finish his sentence, and when Atalaya glanced at him, she noticed he was fidgeting. "Is there something you-"

"I truly have to thank you," Lance interrupted. "All of you. I can't even begin to describe how much I appreciate what you've done for me."

Atalaya waved her hand as if to swat away his gratitude. "Don't worry," she said and smiled. "I would've gone after him even if he hadn't kidnapped Mira."

Lance nodded and removed his hat from his head. He placed it to his chest, and Atalaya noticed it was as good as new while the rest of his clothes were torn and dirty.

"Although you have already done so much for me, I have another request to make of you," he said and locked eyes with Atalaya, who arched an eyebrow at his serious tone.

"What's that?"

"Please allow me to sail with you as your shipwright."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Dun dun duuuh!_

…

_Well, who didn't see that coming. See you on friday, peeps!_


	37. Lance's determination!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxx**

**episode thirty seven – Lance's determination! The destination is Mokuzai Kingdom!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya practically leaped out of her seat and over the space between her and Lance and planted her hands on the shipwright's shoulders. She tilted her head to the right and narrowed her eyes, scanning his face for even a hint of hesitation.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "You won't regret it later?"

A wide smile settled onto Lance's lips. "Quite sure, yes," he said and pressed the hat down over his hair again. "In truth, I decided a few hours before we went after Rocket."

"What made you decide?"

"He did."

All heads followed the direction of Lance's nod and turned to Kitsune, who raised his arms as if to plead his innocence. "What are ya sayin'?" he asked suspiciously. "What did I do?"

"Before the incident with Rocket, you asked me to join you," Lance said and nodded at Atalaya. "And _you,_" he added and addressed Kitsune again, "You told me that if I would achieve a high enough bounty, my hometown would be safe, safer than it is now."

Kitsune tipped his head back and released a short laugh. "Yer just like the cap'n," he said. "Rememberin' everythin' I say."

Lance chuckled. "I learned that I am completely unable to fend off a large scale attack," he went on. "That is why I would like to protect Mira by making a name for myself."

"Isn't that like saying you're weak?" Roa piped up. "You want to sail with us because you're too weak to defend your hometown?"

"Roa," Atalaya said, a warning undertone in her voice, but the archer shook his head almost unnoticeably without taking his eyes off the shipwright.

"No." Lance released himself from Atalaya's grip and strode up to Roa, who rose from his seat so as to be on equal height. They stood still, completely silent, taking their time to measure each other.

"I am not coming along because I am _weak_," Lance finally said. "I am requesting to sail with you because I want to get stronger. And because I want to help your captain on her quest to become the king of pirates."

The ghost of a smile flashed over Roa's face, and he looked past Lance and at Atalaya, who sent back a wide smirk. The archer glared at Lance for a few more seconds before leaning back a little only to crash their foreheads together a split second later.

Lance exclaimed out of pure shock, the surprise making him stagger and fall backwards. He landed painfully on his side, and just as he was about to jump back up to his feet and give Roa a piece of his mind, the archer offered him a hand.

"Welcome to the crew, pretty boy," he said with a feral grin.

A sigh escaped Lance's lips as he grabbed Roa's hand and was pulled to his feet. "Much obliged," he huffed and turned around with an small smirk. "So, am I now officially a member of your crew?"

Atalaya strode up to him with a serious expression. "As long as you promise me one thing," she said.

"Anything."

"Never, _ever_, call me 'lady' again."

Lance released an amused chortle. "I swear on my life," he said and bowed his head in respect. "Captain."

"Arite, now that the formalities are outta the way," Kitsune said and poked Atalaya's shoulder with the end of Hebi Kotei's sheath. "Where are we goin' next?"

"If I may suggest our course, we should set sail for Mokuzai Kingdom," Lance said. "With the gold you pillaged from Rocket's ship, we should be able to purchase more than enough materials for me to build a ship worthy of the captain."

"That's great, but first..." Atalaya sunk back into her chair and groaned. "We really should get ourselves cleaned up."

She looked around in the room. Roa, with his right side covered in blood from the splinter, Kitsune with the puncture wounds in his ribs, and Lance with blood and dirt on his jacket. Not to mention Atalaya's skin was still damaged from the explosion she had taken head on.

"Where did ya have that medical kit?" Kitsune asked and slid down from his seat on the desk. "We're gonna need all ya have fer this."

Lance nodded and withdrew the box and bandages from the other side of the counter, and he sighed as he picked up a needle and thread for the second time in one day, ready to once again sow shut his wounds.

"Maybe we should find a doctor next," Atalaya grinned.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The next morning found all four of them sitting around the counter in Lance's shop. They had been up all night to clean themselves up, and to try and figure out how to get to Mokuzai Kingdom the easiest way.

"My sailboat won't hold be able to carry all of us that far," Roa stated. He was seated on the counter, busy using a knife to create new arrows.

"We could always try ta get a ride with one of the villagers," Kitsune suggested.

Atalaya looked at Lance, who was busy scribbling down a list of materials onto a piece of parchment. "Sails, fabric, rope, timber..." He counted on his fingers without taking his eyes off the piece of paper. "No one will be leaving this harbor for a couple of weeks," he said absentmindedly. "I would be surprised if anyone has even come out of hiding yet."

"Alright, well, there's got to be some way to get there," Atalaya said. "And what about when we get there? Is there a place for you to build the ship at?"

"Ah, yes." Lance put down his quill and crouched down to see better underneath the counter. He moved a few stacks of paperwork around before finding what he was looking for. "Here we go..." He straightened up and flatted out a map of Mokuzai Kingdom onto the counter.

"We'll have to get to Mokuzai Kingdom's capital, Zaimoku City," he said and pointed out the city on the map. "They have everything a shipwright could need, everything from simple maintenance to the building of ships. If you look up here..." His finger tapped at the northwestern corner of the city. "That would be a harbor where one can rent the docks for long-time projects."

Atalaya nodded. "Okay, so we'll rent a space and get all materials delivered to it," she said. "Any idea how long it's gonna take?"

"If I won't be able to hire assistance, which is very likely, it might take a few weeks."

"That long?" Roa muttered, earning his shoulder a backhand slap from Atalaya, the hit causing him to snap one of his new arrows in half. "I was being sarcastic!" he said loudly.

The front door flew open, and all four raised their heads to see Jonas standing in the doorway, once again out of breath. "L-Lance," he wheezed.

"What is it now, sir Jonas?" Lance asked and walked up to him. "Not more pirates, I hope?"

"No... not p-pirates." Jonas refused to sit down and walked over to Atalaya on shaky legs. "You... you have to hide," he breathed out and grabbed her hand, tiredly shaking it.

Atalaya arched an eyebrow in surprise as she attempted to break free from the man's grip. "How so?" she asked.

"Yes, yes, yes... The m... the marines are here. The ship of a Marine commander just pulled into dock!"

An electrically charged silence stretched between them, and Jonas took the opportunity to drop to his knees in exhaustion. Atalaya stared down at him for a few seconds before a feral grin slowly graced her lips.

"The marines, eh?" she said mischievously. "Wonder what they could be here for."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Heh, I had to make Roa show his acceptance of Lance's joining somehow, and I figured this was the best way to do so. Boys will be boys... The next episode concludes the Umibe Arc, so look forward to monday's episode!_

_I wasn't completely sure how the marine-ranking system works in One Piece, so I did some research __on Navy rankings, and instead of Commodore, I found Commander. It's basically the same rank, so I decided to go with Commander._

_Have a nice weekend, ladies and gentlemen!_


	38. Marines at the docks?

**Race for One piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode thirty eight – Marines at the docks? The shipwright leaves home!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Give me the spyglass, Roa."

The archer complied, and Atalaya hurried out the door and brought it to her right eye when she reached the edge of the hill. True enough, a large marine ship had dropped anchor right next to the destroyed docks, and several marines were in the process patrolling ashore.

"Any idea why they're here?" Atalaya called over her shoulder.

"Can only be one reason, cap'n," Kitsune said and snatched the spyglass from her. "Someone from the village must've called them here ta get rid of Rocket."

Atalaya nodded and walked back into the house. "Where's the closest marine base?" she asked of Lance, who turned back to the map of Mokuzai Kingdom.

"There is one located near Zaimoku City," he said and pointed at a large city on the map. "I assume that is where this ship came from."

"Near Zaimoku City," Atalaya repeated slowly. The ghost of a smile settled on her lips as she straightened up, and a chuckle rolled past her lips as a risky idea popped into her mind.

A loud chortle was heard from the doorway, where Kitsune was standing. "I think I know what yer thinkin' of, cap'n," he said and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning his back against the doorframe as he smirked at Atalaya.

"Of course," Roa sighed and threw his fully loaded quiver over his shoulder, shaking his head ever so slightly. "What else could we expect?"

Lance looked from one to the other with a slightly confused expression. "Am I missing something?" he asked.

"We're going to Mokuzai Kingdom," Atalaya said and grinned widely. "And we'll be traveling by marine ship."

Lance's eyebrows shot into his hairline, but before he could respond, the door to his workshop flew open and Mira strolled into the room. "Good morning to all of you," she said and smiled. She looked cheerful, though she had dark rings under her eyes and her arms were still decorated with purple bruises. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Of course not," Lance said quickly. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, thank you." Mira patted him on the shoulder as she walked past him. "I have something for you," she said and stopped in front of Kitsune, who once again raised his hands before someone could accuse him of anything.

Mira giggled. "Oh, it's nothing to worry about, just something I hope you might find useful." She reached behind her back and withdrew a long, handwoven, blood red kimono. It was almost identical to the one Kitsune was wearing now, except for the striking difference in color as well as the undamaged edges.

"Why are ya givin' this ta me?" Kitsune said as the piece of clothing was thrown into his lap.

"Your clothes are so covered in blood," Mira said and backed a few steps. "So I thought I'd sow you a kimono the same color as blood so it would't get visibly altered when you, you know... do what you do."

Kitsune held it up in front of him for a few seconds before tilting his head to the side and equipping an almost charming smile. "'S a nice thought," he said, his voice smooth. "Much appreciated."

Another giggled escaped Mira's lips. "Are you all getting ready to leave?" she asked and looked at Atalaya, who nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "We're just about to sneak aboard a marine ship and go to-"

"Mokuzai Kingdom," Mira finished. "So Lance can build your ship, right?"

Lance looked somewhat uncomfortable, and Atalaya loudly cleared her throat as she realized he hadn't told Mira he was leaving yet. "Get all your things," she told Roa and Kitsune and moved towards the door. "We'll be waiting outside."

The three left, leaving behind a deafening silence. Lance removed his hat and started twisting it around in his hands, searching for the right words. "Mira-"

"Do you remember when we were younger?" she interrupted, her eyes gazing into the distance outside the windows. "When you got your first client? It was also a pirate. He had red hair and only one arm, and he said he had some problems with his ship. The skeptical way you reacted when he told you he was a pirate was the exact same way you reacted when Atalaya walked in here."

Lance nodded as he in fact did remember his first client. The man had been almost a little too laid back, and that attitude had made Lance silently doubt whether the man's words were true. The red-haired man had seemed to guess his thoughts and instantly began telling him about some of his adventures as if to prove his words.

"You were still only an apprentice back then, but the pirate let you work on his ship all the same," Mira went on. "I remember bringing you something to eat while you were working, but you refused to take a break from your work. And I think I now know why." She paused to let a wide smile grace her lips. "Because you were working for pirates," she said, her voice slowly becoming thicker. "I know you weren't working so hard because you were scared of what they would do if you let them down, but because you wanted pirates to appreciate your work more than anyone else. A ship is a pirate's life, so you felt it was so much more important to make sure their ship was properly tended to."

Mira hummed as she saw Atalaya standing by the trail outside the house, her back turned to the window as she looked down at the docks.

"Mira..."

"Aren't you going with them?" she interrupted and smiled at his fidgeting. "You're a part of them now, right?"

She hopped up on the counter and rocked back and forth where she sat. "I heard everything last night," she said. "After you thought I'd fallen asleep, I followed you back downstairs and eavesdropped by the door. You're going to become a pirate, huh?"

A brief silence stretched between them as Lance didn't know what to say. He kept his eyes focused on the floor, feeling too guilty to look up at his childhood friend. "I-"

"I want you to go," she said firmly. "I want you to chase after the life you yourself wanted. Don't fool yourself into thinking you're doing this to keep me safe. You want to travel the seas and look after a ship and make sure its crew is happy."

Lance sighed and pressed the hat down over his head again. "Yes, I do," he said. "And I _am_ going because I want to, but a part of me will always have gone with them so as to keep you as safe as possible."

Tears burned behind Mira's eyes, and she blinked rapidly to get rid of them. "I already packed your bag," she said and swallowed thickly. "All of your tools, your trench knives, even your favorite suits."

Lance walked over to the workshop door, and when he opened it, he noticed his backpack was hanging on the opposite door handle. He chuckled softly as he hoisted it over his shoulders, the weight making him wobble a little. Mira had obviously packed everything he could possibly need, even in the most unusual of situations.

As he walked back to the counter, he frowned when he heard Mira sniffle, and he gave her a quick, one-armed hug before heading towards the door.

"I'll miss you, big brother."

Lance stopped with one hand on the door handle, and the smallest of smiles graced his lips. "I swear I'll make sure you're safe, sister," he said and bowed ever so slightly before walking out and leaving the house.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Umibe Arc is officially over! The ending's all sappy, I know, but this was the best part to cut off the episode, so I did._

_Yes, as you may already have figured out, the pirate Mira talks about is Shanks. See, since my story takes place in the One Piece universe, I can include some of Oda's characters here and there, but to a very precise limit. I can mention their names, keep them present when something big's about to happen, but I can't have them fight any of my characters. See, that would result in casualties for not only my characters, but Oda's characters as well, and if nothing like that is mentioned in the manga/anime, I can't use them. But like this, I can :)_

_See you on wednesday, folks!_


	39. Aboard a marine ship!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode thirty nine – Aboard a marine ship! Hide in the storage room!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya was waiting for Lance a bit further ahead on the trail. She was standing with her back against him, staring out over the docks and the seas, the corners of her mouth constantly twitching upwards as if she was trying hard not to smile like a fool.

"Where is Kitsune and that obnoxious archer?" Lance asked as he stepped up next to her.

"They're down in the village, scouting a nice opening for us." Atalaya grinned as her eyes landed on the backpack on Lance's shoulder. "I see you're all set," she stated gleefully.

"I have about everything I need to conquer the greatest of all seas," Lance chuckled. "We ought to make haste before the ship leaves."

He sent his house one last glance before following Atalaya down the hill. "I don't have a bounty yet, so they won't recognize us as pirates," she said when they reached the first houses. "But since the town is deserted, keeping a low profile would still be for the best."

About halfway to the docks, she spotted Roa. He had climbed up to a rooftop to get a clear view of the docks and the marine ship.

"We'll have to move quickly," he said when he jumped back down. "The marines just left for the lagoon where what's left of Rocket's ship is waiting."

"So the ship should be practically empty," Atalaya said and nodded. "Where's Kitsune?"

Roa turned around and pointed, and Atalaya chuckled when she saw Kitsune wearing his brand new kimono, the red color making him visible from miles away. "Seems like he's found a way in," she stated. "Alright, I see no marines around, so let's go!"

They took off, sprinting down the main street and towards their ride. No marines were anywhere to be seen as they reached the docks, although Atalaya could hear there were still some on the ship's deck.

"You found a way in?" she asked when they reached Kitsune.

"Aye," he said. "If we climb up here, we'll be right by the door ta the storage room. Should be easy enough ta do without bein' noticed. I tied a rope ta the ship rail, ta make it a li'l easier ta climb."

"Alright, I'll go first to make sure the coast is clear." Atalaya grabbed hold of the rope and started climbing. When she reached the rail, she slowly raised her head enough to get a good look at what was happening on deck.

Only a few marines had been left on the ship to clean. They were scrubbing the deck, too occupied to notice when Atalaya jumped over the rail.

"Okay, come on up," she mumbled and gestured for the rest to follow. She turned around and located the door that lead below deck, where they would find the storage room. When Roa reached the rail, she pointed at the door and waited until he'd reached it before motioning for Lance to climb up.

When Kitsune had gotten aboard the deck and loosened the rope he'd tied to the rail, he and Atalaya joined the others at the door. They soundlessly stepped inside and down the stairs, but stopped when they were greeted by a crossing.

"You wouldn't happen to have built a marine ship, Lance?" Atalaya asked and bent forward to observe all three available directions.

"I have not, but I remember learning about the basic structure of a navy ship," Lance said and casually strolled into the left corridor. "If I am not mistaken, the storage should be right about here."

He stopped at a door halfway through the hall and tried to open it, but the door handle only rattled as it was locked. "We need a key," he stated.

"No, we don't." Roa pushed him out of the way and crouched down to observe the lock. "What we _need_ are these," he said and withdrew two sharp needles from his pocket. He flipped them around in his hands a couple of times before starting his work on the lock.

"I didn't know ya could pick locks, blondie," Kitsune said and leaned closer to watch, eyebrows arched in curiosity.

Roa scoffed. "You say that as if you know everything about me," he said and twisted the right needle. "You just press this a little further, turn this around and..." The lock emitted a quiet _click_, and the door swung open.

"Good job," Atalaya grinned and took a look inside. The space was quite large, with boxes of supplies piled all the way up to the roof. "This looks good enough. At lease we won't have to starve."

Suddenly, a massive movement made the ceiling above them tremble. "The marines have returned," Lance said. "Quickly, inside!"

They barged into the room and slammed the door shut behind them. Atalaya motioned for the rest to be quiet and pressed her ear to the door as she heard the marines rush past her door.

"Can't believe he was already taken out," someone said.

"Yeah, well, the commander is satisfied as long as Rocket's out of the picture. One less pirate to deal with, right?"

Atalaya sneaked away from the door and threw herself down on a box. "They've fetched Rocket," she said. "I'm guessing the ship will be leaving soon."

Barely had those words left her lips before the ship cringed, and she could hear the sound of the anchor being lifted out of the water. "How far away is Mokuzai Kingdom?" she wondered.

"Not far at all," Lance said and dropped his bag onto the floor. "We are traveling by marine ship, so I would say this trip will take less than a day."

Atalaya grinned and leaned back against the wall. "I'm gonna take a short nap," she said and closed her eyes. "Wake me up when we get there."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Nearly six hours had passed when Atalaya jolted awake, a foul yet familiar smell prickling the insides of her nostrils. She groaned and quickly pressed both of her hands over her nose, twisting around in her seat to locate the source of the stench.

She found Roa sitting on a box not far away from her. He was holding his bow in his left hand, while he carefully tipped a bowl filled with a suspicious green liquid towards the grip, letting the substance flow past a small opening and into the bow.

"What the hell do you have in that bowl?" Atalaya asked loudly, making Roa flinch and spill a few drops of the green substance onto the floor.

The wood quickly corroded, leaving behind small holes in the flooring. "Don't startle me like that!" Roa frowned. "If that would've landed on my skin, it would've burned right through!"

"It smells like... I can't even begin to describe how badly it smells!" Atalaya said, her voice muffled from underneath her hands.

Roa arched an eyebrow and stared down into the bowl. "Really?" he asked and inhaled the faint smoke that rose from the bowl. "I can't smell a thing. I'm refilling the poison vial in my bow."

"So that's poison." Atalaya glared at the bowl as if it had offended her and her entire family. "And you just casually inhale its gases?"

"I've altered it so only the poison itself is dangerous," Roa said and shrugged. "If your nose works like a feline's, it's no wonder you can sense it. I used a similar poison to keep the wild animals away from my house."

"Yeah, I recognize it." Atalaya looked around in the room and found both Kitsune and Lance were sound asleep, leaning against the wall. A box full of apples had been cracked open, so Atalaya leaned forward and plucked the biggest one she could find. She brought it to her mouth, but as she parted her lips to take a bite, the poison made her cough.

Roa put down the bowl. "Should I stop?" he asked. "I can do it later."

"Nah, it's for your weapon," Atalaya said and stood up. "I'll go explore the ship instead, so you just continue what you were doing."

"What?!"

A chuckle rolled through her teeth as she swung the door open. "Wake those two in a few hours," she said.

"Atalaya, don't just-"

Roa's voice was cut off as she closed the door behind her. She took a large bite of her apple and looked to the left and right. "Wherever the wind carries you," she hummed and headed left.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Ah, pirates hiding aboard a marine ship... things are just _bound_ to go wrong, no? Especially if the captain gets smitten by a case of restless legs..._

_Something I'm going to make clear here and now; There will be absolutely no romance in this story! Even if my crew happens upon a couple on an island, there will be minimal showing of romantic feelings. Just like in One Piece. That part I leave to you, my loyal fans! I was asked by an anonymous guest about this, and since I couldn't reply to him/her in a message, I'm doing it here. No romance, remember that!_

_Cheers, and see you friday! (Oh, by the way; if I happen to upload a little late on friday, it's because my school is having a big-ass ballroom dancing thing, and I'm attending, and it might run a little late. Sorry!)_


	40. Exploration below deck!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode forty – Exploration below deck! A friendly chat with Lieutenant Christian!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The sound of voices worked as clear directions as Atalaya casually walked along the corridors of the marine ship. She moved further into the depths of the ship, stopping at a corner every now and then to not be spotted by patrolling marines.

The constant sound of footsteps above the ceiling up on deck made her ears twitch every now and then, but she managed to dismiss her instincts to hide with a shrug of her shoulders. She appeared at a partition before long, and she furrowed her brow as she silently debated which way she should go, but before she came to a conclusion, the sound of footsteps right around the corner behind her back made her jump in surprise.

Atalaya quickly located a big pile of boxes in the middle of the corridor that lead left from the crossroads, and with the apple between her teeth, she crouched down behind the box. The hiding place was abysmal, and she groaned silently as she saw the shadows of the marines stop momentarily by the partition to exchange a few last words.

"The kitchen should've prepared a meal for you, Commander. It waits in your chambers."

"Right. Tell the first and second squad to change shifts guarding Rocket every hour. We need them on full alert."

"Yes, sir."

The marines parted, and Atalaya held her breath as one of them began moving in her direction. She soundlessly reached up and removed her bandana to get rid of the bright color, but before she could lower her hand to hide the white, the marine appeared straight in front of her. He was carrying a report in one hand, the other raking its fingers through his red hair as he read the words aloud to himself, the text obviously not pleasing. If he'd turn his head to the side now, he'd get a full look at Atalaya, but he strode by, lost in deep thought.

Atalaya sat completely still for over a minute after the man's footsteps had vanished, and an exhilarated grin stretched on her face as she stood up again and tied her bandana in place, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. "Close call," she chuckled and moved back so she could walk into the other corridor.

She found the mess hall and carefully peeked inside. Probably over a hundred marines were seated at the long tables, eating like they'd never seen food before. Atalaya's stomach growled in protest at the delicious smell that reached her nostrils, and she chuckled as she bit into the apple she'd taken from the storage room.

"A chef would be nice," she mumbled and close the door to move along the corridor.

Suddenly, she heard approaching footsteps from both behind her and in front of her. "Uh-oh," she huffed and looked around. Her only option was a door right next to her, but she had no idea where it lead or who would be on the other side.

As the footsteps grew louder, Atalaya grit her teeth. "No other option, I guess." She quickly yanked the door open, hurried inside and closed it behind her. Without paying any attention to the rest of the room, she pressed an ear to the door, sighing in relief as she heard the multiple footsteps pass by.

"W-who are you?"

Atalaya whirled around. A young man with extremely bright orange hair was standing in front of her, a suspicious expression on his face. He was dressed in marine clothes, although a slight differ in the design indicated he was of higher rank than the rest of the soldiers. The color of his hair practically screamed in contrast to the navy blue features, and the way the hair was flattened on top, Atalaya figured he wore a hat or a bandana to hide the unusual color.

Without answering the question, she looked around and found herself standing in what must've been the man's cabin. Her mind quickly drew up a plan for her to use, so she sucked in a deep breath through her nose and equipped her most charming smile.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I was looking for a place to rest, I didn't realize this was yours, sir..?"

The man observed her a few moments longer before reaching out an arm to her. "Lieutenant Christian," he said.

Atalaya grinned internally and formally shook his hand. "I'm Atalaya," she said. "Nice to meet you, Chris."

"Do you mind me asking what you're doing on this ship?" Christian asked and leaned against the table behind him.

"Oh, I..." Atalaya cleared her throat to buy some thinking time. "I'm from Umibe Island," she said. "After that pirate, Rocket, attacked my village, I wanted to get out of there, and one of the marines said I could ride with you to Mokuzai Kingdom."

Christian scratched his neck. "Then it's okay," he said. "What room were you looking for? I could escort you..."

"Can't I stay here?" Atalaya interrupted, knitting her eyebrows together in mock worry. "I'd be bored on my own, and you don't look like you have anything urgent to deal with right now."

The suspicious expression faltered a little at the request, and he furrowed his brow as he seemed to drive an inner battle with himself.

"Please?" Atalaya added, internally chortling at how innocent she managed to sound.

"Oh. Umm..." Christian sighed and looked around in the room. "There's not really much to do here, but if you want to stay..." He gestured for Atalaya to take a seat by the table.

When she'd sat down, they stared at each other for almost a whole minute before Atalaya locked her hands behind her head and leaned back in the chair. "Did you arrest Rocket?" she asked.

"Not really, no. I mean, we _did_ come here to do that, but someone had already raided his ship when we got there. Rocket was barely alive when we found him, and his ship was completely ruined."

Atalaya arched an amused eyebrow. "Really?" she smirked.

"Yeah, I'm surprised too," Christian said. "Rocket had a 17 million bounty on his head, and there was no one to be seen in Minato Village as we got there. No one knows who took him out. Yet."

Another brief silence settled between them as Atalaya traveled back to Rocket. She wasn't surprised he had a bounty, but the amount was unexpected. "You said you're a lieutenant," she said after a few moments. "Is this your ship?"

"No, no, absolutely not," Christian chuckled nervously and waved his hands in denial. "This is Commander Lash's ship."

"Commander Lash..?"

Christian nodded enthusiastically. "Sir Lash is the youngest man in years to be promoted to commander," he said. "And the fastest to ascend. He joined the marines only two years ago, and he's already reached this far."

"Impressive," Atalaya said, smiling widely at how excited Christian seemed. "What's he like?"

"He's actually quite lazy," Christian huffed. "I can barely get him to do any proper work on the ship, he mostly hides somewhere up on deck instead of sitting behind his desk and working, and he'll throw a fit if you wake him up from one of his naps."

Atalaya released a short bark of laughter. "Oh yes, I can see why the marines would worship such a character," she said sarcastically.

"He's not always like that. When Commander Lash sees a pirate, he turns into a model marine, and not a single pirate has ever escaped him once he's decided to catch them. Once, he chased after a pirate all the way to Grand Line, where he finally managed to catch him."

"Sounds like you really admire him."

An embarrassed smile settled onto Christian's lips. "It must sound strange to hear a subordinate speak of a superior like this," he said. "But I have my reasons for following sir Lash."

Atalaya nodded and rocked back and forth on the hind legs of her chair. "Do tell," she smiled. "We've got quite some time on us, right?"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Oh Atalaya, making friends with marines... Khahah, I can imagine the scene where she hides from the red-head; she would be sitting behind a large pile of boxes, casting a shade over her, and when the man walks past her, it would roll into slow motion, where the camera would zoom at Atalaya as her eyes widen, and then at the man, who doesn't even notice her..._

_Make this into an anime, dammit!_

_After a whole day of dancing, I am _exhausted_! It was fun as sh*t, but after the formal dinner, I was just about ready to fall asleep. There was a party, but I'm not interested in being around drunk people all night, so I came home. I'm posting this and heading to bed._

_Cheers, and have a nice weekend!_


	41. Sharing stories!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode forty one – Sharing stories! Enter Commander Lash!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Christian worried his lower lip as he observed Atalaya. "Why are you so curious about things like my past and the commander?" he asked.

"I'm not," Atalaya said and smiled. "I'm just bored, and it seems to be a nice story." The lieutenant still seemed hesitant, so she cleared her throat and said, "Okay, what about this? If you tell me your story, I'll tell you mine. Deal?"

"Oh..." Christian was silent for a few more seconds before he sighed. "Alright," he said. "I guess it won't hurt anybody. But the beginning is not very nice."

Atalaya nodded and motioned for him to start. Christian tapped his fingers to the table as he tried to find the right words, seemingly lost in deep thought. "Well, I suppose it all began when I was born," he said. "I'm the only one in my family who inherited my great grandfather's orange hair, and my parents didn't like that. See, he was a thief and a murderer, and they thought I would grow up to become the same."

A crease settled into his forehead. "They beat me, made me work like a slave, tried to repress me as much as possible, until they finally threw me out when I was fifteen."

"Just because of the color of your hair?" Atalaya wondered.

"Yeah," Christian said bitterly. "Sorry for asking, but do you ever get treated differently because of the color of your eyes?" His eyes traveled over Atalaya's, but quickly looked away when their gazes locked. "They're not of a normal color."

Atalaya rubbed the skin under her eyes and nodded. "Sometimes," she said. "Once, someone mistook me for a demon because of the orange color."

The crease on Christian's brow deepened. "Well, once I was thrown out, people treated me the same," he continued. "I couldn't find a job, not a place to stay, not anything. So I did what my parents had feared; I became a thief. I stole food to survive, I stole clothes to keep me warm."

"Because you had to."

A sarcastic chuckle rolled through his teeth. "Yes, I stole because I had to, but that doesn't change the way the government reacted," he said dryly. "More than once I had to escape from the local security guards, sometimes even from the marines. Sometimes I even used a knife to defend myself with. I was becoming more and more like my great grandfather."

Atalaya rolled her shoulders and sighed. "Maybe your grandfather was like you," she said. "Stole because he had to, killed to not be killed."

"Maybe," Christian nodded. "But still, the day came when I got caught. I had just stolen a large lump of bread, and when I escaped, I ran straight into the arms of none other than Commander Lash. Or, well, it was _lieutenant_ Lash back then."

He smiled widely at the memory. "I don't know what he was doing on that little island back then," he said. "Maybe he was there to catch a local pirate or something, and when he caught me, I was certain my days had come to an end." Christian stared up into the roof as if it was showing him pictures of his past.

"I don't think he ever thought of arresting me, let alone killing me," he went on. "He dragged me with him to his ship, threw me into an unoccupied cabin and told me to get changed. I was so confused," he added and chuckled. "The only clothes I could find were the marine uniform, but I did as I'd been told. After I'd changed, sir Lash appeared in the doorway and started rambling on and on about how to work aboard a ship."

"So you became a marine just like that," Atalaya stated.

"Pretty much, yeah," Christian said and nodded. "I never asked why Commander Lash took me in. Maybe I just don't want to hear the answer. And I've started wearing hats or bandanas to cover the color of my hair. I don't know if it's necessary aboard the ship, but..."

He paused and absentmindedly scratched the back of his head. "Alright, that was my story," he said. "Your turn, right?"

Atalaya grinned widely. "Okay," she chuckled. "I'll give you the short version, otherwise we'll be here all night." She chewed on her bottom lip for a few seconds, wondering how to tell her story without actually revealing she's a pirate.

"Alright," she finally said. "Ever since I was little, I've dreamed about becoming a really strong, well-known warrior. I trained hard every day, building my strength until I became undefeated in my dojo at the age of eleven. But everybody laughed at me, teased me and said I'd never be able to fulfill my dreams. Not even after I'd eaten a Devil's Fruit."

"You have the power of an ability?" Christian exclaimed. "That's amazing!"

"I thought so too, and I hoped everybody else in my village would, but..." She flickered her head as if to get rid of an annoying fly. "They kept messing with me until I the day I left."

"How could they do that if you were able to defeat all of them?"

Atalaya observed him for almost a full minute before leaning a bit closer. "You told me your whole story, so I'll be fair and tell you the reason," she mumbled. "But you have to swear on your life that you will _never_ tell anybody, especially not the commander."

The lieutenant hesitated, but nodded. "I promise," he said.

"Good." Atalaya leaned closer still, and when her lips was just a few inches from Christian's ear, she whispered, "Despite what my appearance might indicate, I'm not a man."

She plopped down in her seat again, watching as her words settled into the lieutenant's mind. His eyes widened comically in surprise, but just as he parted his lips to speak, the door flew open.

A man with wine red hair and dark eyes leisurely strolled inside, and Atalaya's jaw dropped when she realized it was the same man she had hidden from not too long ago. He was dressed in a long marine jacket, navy blue pants and high boots, and strapped around his shoulder hung a steady-looking combat polearm. In one hand, he was holding a wad of papers, and the other was occupied with today's newspaper.

"Oi, Christian, we'll be going ashore at Zaimoku City in a few minutes," he said. "The marines guarding Rocket are getting restless, so go tell them their shifts will end soon. Also, the new wanted posters arrived today." He let the wad of papers flutter down onto the table. "Who's this?" he asked and nodded in Atalaya's direction.

"Commander Lash, this is Atalaya," Christian said and stood up. "Atalaya here was just..."

"Leaving," Atalaya finished. "Thanks for the talk, Chris." She offered him a smile. "I'm sure we'll see each other again, soon. And it was nice meeting you, Commander," she added and rose from her chair.

She saluted Commander Lash with a bow of her head as she passed him, but just as she had placed a hand on the door handle, Lash spoke up.

"Hold up one second."

A cold shiver of anticipation ran down Atalaya's spine, and she suppressed a smirk and turned around to see Lash rummaging trough the wanted posters. His previously casual expression had vanished completely, leaving behind a deeply concentrated and suspicious frown. Finally, he withdrew one of the posters and held it up for Atalaya to see.

"This is you, isn't it?" he asked coldly, a brimming fury in his voice, turning him into the exact person Christian had described.

Atalaya's eyes lingered at his face for a few seconds before she looked down at the wanted poster.

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

SABERTOOTH ATALAYA

23.000.000 BERI

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Muhahahah! Ah, I _love_ the end of this episode! Damn! I'm sure I'm as excited about this as you are! Whoo!_

_I've already drawn a picture of the commander, but I can't upload it before I go back to school in a week, since I don't have a scanner... Survive, my loyal readers!_

_Have a nice beginning of the week, and see you wednesday!_


	42. The first bounties arrive!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode forty two – The first bounties arrive! Atalaya's sworn enemy!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

SABERTOOTH ATALAYA

23.000.000 BERI

"Declared dangerous after taking out fellow pirate Rocket, as well as the head of the Nora clan, Nora the Warlock. Also suspected to be involved somehow with the demon that haunted many islands in North Blue."

A grin on the verge of feral ghosted over Atalaya's lips as she read the bounty that had been placed on her head. She was grinning in the picture as well, her canines extended and covered with dried blood. She hadn't been in danger when the picture had been taken, but she still looked like she'd be prepared for a surprise attack any second.

"Oh my," she said slowly and turned her attention back to Lash. "That's not good, is it?"

Christian stared at Atalaya like he'd never seen a human before. "Atalaya..?" he breathed out and took a step towards her. "You're a _pirate_?"

"And even this..." Lash raised another poster, and Atalaya was surprised to see Kitsune smile back at her from the picture, the katana in his hand covered with blood, along with his clothes and what little skin was visible underneath the kimono. Judging from the sword, the picture had been taken before he'd met Atalaya, and she couldn't help but wonder if the cameraman was okay after taking this photo; Kitsune seemed to have his focus placed on whoever was located behind the lens, the ghostly smile indicating he was not in a mood to spare any lives.

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

CRIMSON FOX KITSUNE

18.000.000 BERI

"He belongs to the Saber Pirates as well, doesn't he?" Lash asked and took a few steps closer to Atalaya. "The previously mentioned demon who haunted all of North Blue."

"Saber Pirates, eh?" She rolled the name around in her mind a few times and decided she liked it. "Yes, he happens to be my first mate," she said and nodded. "Great guy, if you don't mind his ruthless nature." She released a short chuckle, and her nerves were on full alert as she ever so slightly widened her stance in preparation to run away. "And now, Commander Lash, what are you going to do about this?" she asked tantalizingly.

Lash scowled and reached for his combat staff. "What any marine would do, Sabertooth," he growled. "I'll offer you a one-way trip to Impel Down!"

Atalaya grinned and dismissively shook her head. She didn't reply to Lash, but looked past him and at Christian. "Sorry about this, Chris," she said offered him an apologetic smile. "Remember to keep my secret, and as I said..." She pushed down the door handle as slowly as she could to not trigger a response from the commander. "We'll see each other _really_ soon."

Lash momentarily forgot his position and sternly glared at Christian from over his shoulder. "What secret?" he demanded. "What is he talking about?"

A deep chuckle rolled through Atalaya's teeth and she whirled around to swing the door open. She offered Christian a quick wave in good-bye before she dashed out the room and sprinted through the hall with Lash's outraged exclaim ringing in her ears.

As she darted through the corridors as fast as her legs could carry her, she swallowed thickly as she hoped the ship had already landed at the docks of Zaimoku City, or at least sailed close enough so they could safely leave the ship without having to touch the sea. If it hadn't, it would truly spell disaster for her and her comrades.

She quickly navigated back to the storage room and practically tore the door open, almost ripping it off its hinges. "Time to go," she said, the exhilarated grin stuck on her face. "We're leaving the ship, right now!

"What's going on?" Roa asked and jumped to his feet, quickly tossing all his tools into his small bag and hoisting it up on his shoulder.

"Got a marine commander chasing after me," Atalaya said and looked over her shoulder. "Hurry up, he's right behind me! We have to move up on deck and leave the ship right now!"

"I'm guessin' yer bounty arrived," Kitsune hummed as he halted momentarily in the doorway to let Lance and Roa dash past him.

"Yeah," Atalaya grinned and followed the two others, quickly picking up her speed again. "And so did yours."

Kitsune looked somewhat surprised, but the sound of footsteps behind them interrupted his train of thought. Atalaya glanced over her shoulder to see Lash charging towards them, all his previous leisure completely vanished only to be replaced by burning determination.

"To the left and through the last door, Lance!" Atalaya called. "We'll lose him when we go ashore!"

"You think I'll let you get that far?" Lash growled.

Atalaya grinned at his tone. "You reacted too late, Commander," she jingled. "Your chance passed back there in Chris' room."

"Why, you-"

"Hurry up, Atalaya!"

Roa and Lance were at the end of the hall, holding the door open for her and Kitsune. They burst onto the deck, where several marines turned their heads in confusion at the loud noise.

"Capture them!" Lash yelled, but before anyone could get close, Atalaya had reached the ship rail. She let escape a relieved chuckle as she found the ship had already pulled up next to the docks, and none of the marines could come close to catching her as they were all busy securing the ship's lines.

Atalaya hopped up on the rail and waited for the rest of her crew to jump onto the docks before she directed her attention to the commander, who was racing towards her across the wide deck. She offered him a toothy grin before raising her arms as if to embrace the air and letting herself fall backwards and off the ship.

"I don't think so!"

Just as Atalaya thought she was safely out of harm's way, Lash appeared by the ship rail as if he'd teleported. He reached out to grab hold of Atalaya, but he missed her outstretched arm with only a couple of inches. An irritated growl rolled past his lips as he prepared to follow them ashore, but just as he placed his foot on the ship rail, five arrow buried along the wood. A greenish steam rose from the arrows as the rail began to corrode, and Lash cursed as he was forced to step backwards.

He helplessly watched as Atalaya twisted in midair and landed neatly on all four. She looked around when she straightened up, her lips curling up into a feral grin as she spotted her crew waiting for her at the end of the docks. She waved at them before turning around and bowing her head in front of Lash in mock salute.

"Thank you for the ride, Commander Lash," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sorry our meeting was so brief, but I have a few things to attend to before we can have a longer chat."

"Don't mock me, pirate," Lash snapped and looked around at his crew members. "Drop the bridge!" As the marines began lowering the bridges so they could safely step ashore, the commander turned back to Atalaya and pointed the edge of his polearm at her. "I swear on my pride as a marine, I will catch you, Sabertooth Atalaya," he snarled, sounding almost as feral as she in her sabertooth form. "I don't care how long it'll take or how far I'll have to chase you, but _I_ will be the one to send you to Impel Down!"

"Looking forward to it." With those words, Atalaya turned on the heel and hurried up to her crew.

"That went smoothly," Kitsune said smugly when she reached them. "Ya always have ta make a scene, don't ya, sweetheart?"

"Such is the grace of our captain," Lance stated with a chuckle.

"Stop talking like that," Roa scoffed and elbowed the shipwright in the ribs. "What do we do now?"

"_Now_ we hide in the city for a while, to lose the marines," Atalaya said. "Then we spend Rocket's money on getting enough materials for Lance to build us a ship, and after that..." A shiver of exhilaration traveled up her spine as her own words formed in her mind. "After that, we head to the Grand Line!"

The others nodded, and without giving the marines time to get any closer, they headed into the busy streets of Zaimoku City.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Dat episode. 'Nuf said._

_A couple of answers to questions I'm sure many of you will want to ask/have been asked;_

_Atalaya's bounty - I'll tell you guys what I told one of my friends; _

_The part with the bounty seems to be quite the issue for my readers. I know Tally hasn't met a marine before now, but who says it has to be a marine who took her picture? Oda once answered the question "Who takes the wanted poster photos?" in an SBS, and his reply was "There are a few paparazzi-like guys around the world who takes photos of 'dangerous' fellows and reports them to the marines."_

_SO!_

_I explain the poster like this; the photo was taken right after Atalaya's fight against Rocket. In an unmentioned (unwritten) scene in which she walks with Roa from Rocket's ship to Lance's house, the cameraman snapped the photo and sent it to the marines with a note that Atalaya is the one who took down Rocket. Additional information about her bounty can easily be received from any local of the villages where one of the people Atalaya has fought with was known._

_Kitsune's bounty – Yes, it _is_ supposed to be that close to Atalaya's. He may not have done so much damage as part of the Saber Pirates (yet) but do remember he was previously known as a demon._

_As for his title, Crimson Fox; I really wanted to name him Silver Fox, but as we all know, that damned Foxy got that title. So, the color Crimson originates from the fact that the first time anyone caught sight of Kitsune, he was covered in blood of the people he had just killed. Either way, in japanese, the title is read like this; Kurimuson Fokkusu Kitsune. Otherwise it would be; Shinku Kitsune Kitsune, which, as you can see, would look pretty damn ridiculous..._

_Okay, that's all I say for now, otherwise these notes will become longer than the episode itself... Peace out, and see you on friday!_


	43. Trouble in Zaimoku City?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode forty three – Trouble in Zaimoku City? Prepare to build a ship!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"This place is huge!"

As they walked along the streets of Zaimoku City, Atalaya wished she would've had two extra pairs of eyes. The buildings were tall, with restaurants and shops, bookstores and infirmaries at every other door. The streets were crowded with people of all kinds, and Atalaya could've sworn she even saw a woman who looked more like a fish than like a human.

"This wouldn't happen to be your first time in a big city?" Lance asked.

"For the three of us, I think," Atalaya said and nodded in Roa and Kitsune's direction. "Though I can't say for sure where Kitsune's been before he joined me..."

"And trust me, ya don't wanna know," Kitsune said and chuckled menacingly. "There ain't any pretty stories in that area. Now, ya said somethin' earlier 'bout me gettin' a bounty."

Atalaya grinned widely. "That's right, _Crimson Fox_," she said. "Commander Lash showed me both of our wanted posters."

"Since when are you so chummy with the marines?" Roa asked and arched an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Snuck into the room of a marine lieutenant. I was having a really friendly chat with him until the Commander interrupted us and revealed that I was a pirate."

Kitsune let out a bark of laughter while Roa sighed and rubbed his eyes in frustration. "That's why I told you, you should've stayed in the storage room," he muttered. "Even if your poster wouldn't have arrived, strolling around in a marine ship is suicide if you're a pirate."

"I blame you for not trying harder to stop the captain," Lance said. "If you had been more efficient, we could have boarded without any of these problems."

"I had my hands occupied by a bowl of corrosive poison!" Roa snapped. "My hands would've melted if it'd touched my skin!"

"Ah yes, what a grand loss _that_ would be."

"Lance," Atalaya said loudly to interrupt the bickering. "From where can we buy all the materials for our ship? We should act fast while the marines are still occupied with their ship."

The shipwright planted his palm in Roa's face and pushed him backwards. "Let's see here..." He withdrew the map of Mokuzai Kingdom from his suit and observed it for a moment. "Turn left, right, straight and left... at Timmy's Timber."

"Uh, cap'n? I think we got company."

Atalaya whirled around to see five marines forcing their way towards them through the massive crowd. "Crap," she groaned. "Alright, Lance, Roa, they don't know about you yet, so you two go to the timber shop while Kitsune and I distract them. And don't fight!" she added as she started running. "It pulls attention to you!"

Both of them glared daggers at each other before nodding reluctantly. "Alright, let's see how fast they can run," Atalaya smirked and leaned forward as she picked up her speed.

"Why not just kill 'em?" Kitsune asked, his voice almost innocent.

"Don't be stupid. We'll have to stay in this city for a couple of weeks while Lance builds the ship, and it'll be a hell of a lot easier if we _don't_ create panic where ever we go."

"How borin'..."

"There they are! Catch them!"

Atalaya chuckled as she sped up even more, quickly making her way through the cheerful crowd. She felt light and excited, a large dose of adrenaline replacing the blood in her veins.

"Ya seem ta be in a good mood, cap'n," Kitsune stated and jumped to the side to avoid colliding with a group of gossiping ladies.

"I am," Atalaya admitted when he appeared next to her and resumed running. "Our ship's gonna be built and I'm on my way to becoming the Pirate King, how could I not be?"

"Everybody out of the way! _Move it_, I said!"

The playful smirk on her lips grew wider. While she and Kitsune were easily darting through the mass of people, the marines were slowed down trying to force them out of the way so they could line up properly.

"Hopeless, they are." Kitsune shook his head and sighed dramatically. "Yer a little too excited, though. What's yer bounty?"

"Higher than yours, rest assured," Atalaya said and chuckled breathlessly at the swordsman's expression. "If you want the exact number, try to get your hands on a newspaper. Left here!"

They turned sharply and slowed down as they entered a dark secluded alley. "Can we fight 'em if they follow us in here?" Kitsune asked and placed a hand on the hilt of Hebi Kotei, but just as he'd uttered those words, they saw the marines run straight past the alley.

"No luck," Atalaya laughed and rocked back and forth on her heels for a few seconds before she headed for the other end of the alley. "Let's go meet up with Lance and Roa."

"Aye, swee-"

"We're not on the ship!"

"Aye, cap'n."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

They reached Timmy's Timber around twenty minutes later. Roa was waiting outside, sitting on a pile of lumber and wearing an extremely hostile expression as his hands were occupied with breaking a short branch into as small pieces as possible.

"Pretty boy's inside," he snapped before Atalaya even got the chance to open her mouth to speak. "I'll bite his head off if we're in the same room for too long, so find me out here when you're done."

Atalaya and Kitsune exchanged an amused glance before trotting inside. The shop was huge, almost twice the size of Lance's entire house. Tools hung from the walls, samples of different types of timber was propped up along the shelves, and paintings of ships in all shapes and forms were displayed all over.

"Over here, captain!"

Lance waved at them from the counter. He was holding a long list of materials in one hand, while the other was plucking gold from their sack to measure each purchase.

"Ah, so this is your captain?" the salesman asked when she and Kitsune approached the counter. "Pleased to meet you, lad. My name is Timmy, and this is my shop-en."

"Cheers," Atalaya said, smiling. "I'm Atalaya, this is Kitsune, and Lance probably already introduced himself to you."

"Oh, yes," Timmy said and nodded enthusiastically. "Young mister Lance is quite the businessman-en. He puts together a precise pile of gold for each purchase, to make sure you're not overcharged. Not that I would ever cheat someone, but I admire the effort he's making-en."

"You are much too kind," Lance said and tipped his hat forward in respect. "Now, there are a few things we cannot get from here that we need to survive where we are heading, so if you would take the obnoxious archer with you and acquire these items."

He handed Atalaya a list and started filling a pouch with money. "Sturdy paper for charts, gunpowder,material for bomb-making, arrowheads, cannonballs, feathers, quills, ink, food... can we find all this in the city?"

"The shops ought not be too far from here," Lance said and tossed the now full pouch to Kitsune. "Our _navigator_ ought to be able to locate them with ease."

Atalaya couldn't help but smirk at his sour attitude towards Roa. "Where can we find you once we're done?" she asked.

"If I'm no longer here, I have already gotten to work, in which case I will be at Dock 13. Ask sir Timmy, he will point out the way for you."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _At first, Timmy was supposed to be named Tim, but then I remembered there's a fishman who is known as Tim, so I changed it. Guh. Oh, and I wanted to add one of those weird speaking ways, so Timmy says "en" at the end of every few sentences. Just a random little thing to mix things up._


	44. Run around in Zaimoku City!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode forty four – Run around in Zaimoku City! Shopping tour interrupted!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya waved at Lance before trotting out of the timber store. They found Roa sitting on the same spot as before, still in the process of grinding his teeth together in annoyance.

"We're goin' shoppin'," Kitsune stated gleefully. "Buy ya a lot of neat stuff, so cheer up, yeah?"

"Very helpful, fox face," Roa scoffed and stood up. "What are we buying?"

"Everything we can't get here." Atalaya handed him the list and looked around. "Any idea where we can buy charts?"

After scanning the entire list, Roa handed it back to her. "We can get the charts, feathers, ink and quills at a nearby paper shop," he said and nodded in direction of the main street. "The arrowheads and gunpowder from further into the city."

They started walking along the street. Atalaya took the time to read through the list once more, and she noticed something furthest down on the list. "What's a Log Pose?" she asked, seeing as the name was underlined.

"It's a sort of compass that will guide us from island to island once we reach the Grand Line," Roa said. "Normal compasses don't work in there, there's too much interference in the magnetic fields."

"And where can we find this extremely important, probably insanely expensive compass?"

Roa frowned. "That might actually be a problem," he said and scratched the back of his neck. "Log Poses are pretty rare, so we'll have to ask around in the city if anyone knows where we can get one."

"Okay."

They quickly located the paper shop, where they not only bought what was written on the list, but also three books from the series _"Sailing along Grand Line – Dangers and Sanctuaries"_.

"The entrance to the Grand Line is near here, right?" Roa asked of the old man behind the counter.

"Indeed," he said. "We have many things you need to sail on that sea, that's why this city is so popular."

"Any idea where we could buy a Log Pose?" Atalaya asked.

The old man shook his head. "Even here, Logs are very rare," he said. "Try to ask in the center of the city, the people who move around there are usually well-informed."

"Thanks, old man."

They left the store and started moving towards the main street. "Seems ta be some kind of marketplace up ahead," Kitsune said as they arrived at the city center.

True enough, the large opening that was the middle of the city was covered in tents and small stands. The locals were walking around, carrying large baskets and casually chatting with the merchants. Cafés and restaurants had been raised all around the marketplace, and the outdoor tables were all filled with chattering people who were resting in the middle of their shopping tour.

Atalaya strode up to a nearby stand and stared down into a basket, which was filled to the brim with cerulean blue apples. "Blue apples..?" she mumbled and leaned closer to observe them, humming as a strong but delicious scent reached her nostrils.

"First time seeing one of these?" the lady who was selling them asked and giggled at Atalaya's expression. "Sky Apples are a rare delicacy here in Mokuzai Kingdom. Care to try one?"

"For free?"

The lady nodded and handed her the largest apple. "I grow them myself," she said and smiled sweetly.

Atalaya took a big bite out of the fruit and groaned in satisfaction at the taste. It was sweet and sour at the same time, and it left behind a candy-like flavor in her mouth. She turned to gesture for Kitsune and Roa to come closer, but almost dropped the apple when she spotted a group of marines trying to sneak closer through the crowds.

"I'll be back for sure," she quickly told the lady before hurrying up to the others. "The marines are on our case again," she mumbled. "You two go get the rest of our supplies while I keep them distracted."

The two nodded and took off, while Atalaya casually walked straight towards the marines. When she was almost right in front of them, she stopped and gasped dramatically. "Oh no," she said in mock surprise. "How silly of me, walking straight into your arms without even noticing!" She stuck out her tongue at the marines before whirling around and sprinting back into the lively crowd.

"Capture him before he escapes!"

Atalaya raised a hand as she passed the lady with the exotic fruit, but she didn't have time to do anything more as she had to move quickly. She kept her head down as she ran to make it harder for the marines to keep her in their sight.

When she got out of the marketplace, she slowed down and leisurely strolled into the nearest alley, and she was just about to sit down on a barrel when she heard someone sigh deeply nearby. Carefully, Atalaya moved through the secluded street, perking her ears in attempt to locate the sound. Not until she was standing right next to a pile of broken boxes did she notice someone was cowering behind them.

It was an old woman with short grey hair and an extremely wrinkled face. Her clothes were dirty, but the design was still quite fancy. Her eyes were focused on her lap, where she was resting her trembling hands, which had several bruises on them.

"What are you doing down there?" Atalaya asked and offered the old lady her hand to help her stand up.

The woman raised her head and looked up at her for a few moments before taking her hand and struggling to her feet. "You're kind," she said, her voice strained and hoarse. "Most people would just walk past without even noticing."

"Good thing I'm not like most people, then," Atalaya grinned. "Did something bad happen to you?"

"Ah, yes." The old lady frowned, the lines of her face becoming even more well-defined. "A group of pirates stole my late son's gold ring."

Atalaya furrowed her brow as she helped the lady sit down on a box. "Your son has passed on?" she asked quietly.

"He has. He was a pirate as well, and one day, their ship came across a hurricane. No survivors."

"I'm sorry." Atalaya placed a hand to her heart as a salute for the fellow pirate's death. "Where did the other pirates go?" she asked after a few seconds' silence.

"You mean the ones who stole the ring?" The old lady looked at her in confusion. "Why do you ask?"

"I'll go get the ring back," Atalaya said casually and cracked her knuckles. "If it belonged to a fellow pirate, I can't let anyone steal it away from its family."

"You truly are kind," the lady said and shook her head. "They headed south, that's all I know."

Atalaya nodded. "It's enough," she said. "I'll be right back."

She walked to the edge of the alley and glanced in both directions to make sure the marines were nowhere to be seen. When she found the coast was clear, she took off, darting past the locals while scanning each area for anyone who would resemble a pirate.

When she finally located a shady-looking group, she had almost reached the edge of the city. The group was sitting outside a shabby bar, and spread out on the table in front of them were several valuable objects. Atalaya stuck her hands into her pockets, straightened her back and walked up to their table.

"The hell do you want?" one of them asked as she got closer. "Get out of here if you ain't got anything to say!"

"Did you steal a golden ring from an old lady a while back?" Atalaya asked with the tone of someone speaking of the weather.

"What if we did?" the meanest-looking brute scowled.

"I wonder if it'd be okay if I took it back?"

The group was silent for a moment before they all broke out laughing. Atalaya chuckled as well, but compared to them, her tone was dark and without amusement. Without waiting for them to stop laughing, she raised her right leg and slammed her heel into the table.

The table broke in half, sending all the small, shiny objects flying in every direction. "Perhaps you didn't hear me," she said coldly, the grin still set in place. "I said I'm here to take the ring back."

The group instantly sobered up and rose from their seats. "That was very unwise, kid," the big one said and withdrew a short sword from behind his back. "Seems like I've got to teach you a lesson in how to behave near pirates."

Atalaya withdrew her right hand from her pocket and urged her ability to equip it with sharp claws. Without giving anybody time to react, she took a step forward, grabbed hold of the sword, and pressed her claws through the blade, effectively making it shatter into countless small pieces.

The smirk on her lips turned dangerous as the pirate grew paler. "Seems like _I'll_ be the one doing the teaching," she said.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Oh, Tally, you just _have_ to do everything the rough way, don't you?_

_I'm in such "Race-mode" right now! Sketching up picture after picture, even working on a large picture on an A3-sized paper that should be ready in time for the chapter the picture represents, so check my dA in a couple of days, yeah?_

_Until wednesday, cheers!_


	45. Steal what has been stolen!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode forty five – Steal what has been stolen! A priceless reward!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The group of pirates looked like they'd been struck by lightning. The smile on the big one's lips quickly vanished, only to be replaced with what could only be interpreted as shock as he stared at Atalaya like she was a ghost. His eyes traveled from her face to the shattered sword and finally to her outreached hand, which was covered with fur and thick claws.

Atalaya sighed as none of the pirates moved. "Let's get started," she said and clapped her hands together as she adapted a portentous expression. "Lesson number one!"

Before anyone could even exchange a confused glance, she turned on the heel and smashed the side of her hand into the nearest pirate's throat. "You don't steal from elders," she said calmly as the pirate dropped to the ground, coughing and wheezing in attempt to get his airways to work.

"Bastard!"

"Lesson number two!"

She crouched down to avoid getting her head smashed by a large iron mace, and before her assailant could withdraw, she planted her hands onto the ground and lifted her lower body off the ground, effectively slamming her heel into the pirate's nose. "You don't laugh at someone who's making a request," she said, a little louder this time.

Atalaya got to her feet just in time to extend her fangs and parry the sword that came flying towards her face. "Lesson number three," she growled as she raised a hand to force her claws through the blade to make it shatter. Once freed from the restraint, she grabbed the hem of the final pirate's shirt. "You don't insult someone you don't know you can beat."

She paused and looked around her at the scattered valuables. "Where's the ring?" she demanded, none too gently shaking the pirate as he didn't instantly answer her question. "Hand it over now!"

"I'll give it, I'll give it!" He reached inside his jacket and pulled out the small golden object. Atalaya quickly snatched it from his hand and sneered at him before letting him drop to the ground. She turned the ring around in her hand, admiring the dragon-like pattern that had been carved into it.

"Thanks," she said and grinned. "Hopefully this is the last time we meet."

The man dropped to his knees and stared at her with wide eyes. "W-what about the rest?" he asked.

Atalaya arched an eyebrow in surprise and looked down at the ground, where close to hundred small rings, bracelets and other jewelery lay scattered. "Those aren't mine," she said, rolling her eyes as if it would've been the most obvious answer in the world. "But if I stumble across anyone else who's had something irreplaceable stolen by you, I might come find you again."

A shiver traveled through the pirate's body. "I saw your face in the paper today," he breathed out. "Who... who are you?"

After securely storing the ring in a pocket inside her jacket, Atalaya looked at him from over her shoulder, a toothy smile stretching her lips. "I'm the one who will become the Pirate King," she said before walking away from the scene.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It took her only a few minutes to get back to the alley, and she frowned when she found the old lady had disappeared. Atalaya investigated the scene for a few seconds before she caught the familiar scent. She followed the old lady's tracks through the cramped street and down a few stairs into a shabby bar.

The woman was sitting on a barstool by the counter, a small glass of a brown liquid in front of her. Atalaya tilted her head to the side to get a better look at the lady's face as she strode up to her. "Got it," she said and flicked the ring onto the dirty table.

The old lady stared at the ring like she couldn't believe her eyes. "Thank you so much," she said, her voice thick. "This ring means the world to me, and I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost it. It's one of the only things I have left of my boy."

"Don't worry about it," Atalaya smiled and took a seat next to her.

They were silent for a few minutes before the old woman spoke up again. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you called my son a 'fellow pirate' before you left," she said slowly. "By any chance, are you also..?"

"A pirate, yes."

"What's your destination?"

Atalaya locked her hands behind her head and leaned back in her chair. "Grand Line," she said, a distant smile gracing her lips as she imagined all the things she would experience after leaving this island. "Raftel. One Piece. Pirate King."

The old lady giggled. "Those are quite the goals," she said. She twisted the ring around in her fingers for a couple of seconds before sighing deeply. "Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Depends on the favor," Atalaya smirked.

"Would you take this ring with you to that sea?"

Atalaya's eyebrows flew up to her hairline as she stared down at the old lady. "I can't take such a precious object from you," she said and dismissively shook her head. "I wouldn't feel right."

"Please." The old lady grabbed hold of her right hand and treaded the ring onto her middle finger. "I know my son would've wanted the ring to keep traveling the seas," she mumbled softly and pulled back to observe how the jewelery fit on Atalaya's finger in contrast to her other clothes.

"You speak as if the ring has a life of its own."

"That I do," the old lady said gravely and nodded. "Will you grant me this favor?"

Atalaya raised her hand and smiled as the small ring glistened in the dim light of the oil lamps. "Okay," she said. "I'll take it with me. But I might hang it around my neck instead, since my hands will get... well, you know, I don't want to dirty the ring."

Another giggle escaped the old lady and she nodded. "I have something else you might have use for," she mumbled and reached inside her jacket. "As a thank you for what you've done for me."

She withdrew an oddly shaped clock and smiled down at it before handing it to Atalaya. There were no lines along the edges, and the needle inside stayed perfectly still, the red tip pointing straight forward. "Uh... thank you..?" Atalaya said as she turned the object around in her fingers, her eyebrows knitted together as her mind tried to figure out exactly what it was she was holding.

The old lady emitted a short, squeaky laughter. "You have no idea what that is, have you?" she asked almost smugly.

"No idea," Atalaya repeated and sighed as she kept twisting the clock around in her hands.

"That, my dear, is an object called a Log Pose. The only sort of compass that works on Grand Line."

A few seconds passed before Atalaya flew up from her seat in shock, almost letting the valuable object slip through her fingers and fall onto the floor. "You're giving me this?" she asked and held it away from her as if she expected it to explode at any second. "Are you sure?"

"What use do I have for it?" the old lady smirked. "It was mine when I worked as a navigator on a tourist ship on Grand Line, but I haven't needed that for over twenty years now. Give that to your navigator, and be safe out there on the most dangerous of all seas."

Atalaya put her hand to her chest and bowed her head in respect in front of the lady before mumbling, "Thank you.", and dashing out the door. She practically flew past the crowds and towards the docks, grinning excitedly as she clutched the Log Pose to her chest.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Atalaya, you badass monster cat, you..! Oh, for those of you who have noticed and asked about the necklace Atalaya wears in her picture, it's a strap of leather with the ring she received in this episode_

_Yes, some of you may think the way Atalaya got the Log Pose was too easy, but I would've been forced to write a long line of filler episodes that really wouldn't have had anything to do with the story if I hadn't done it this way, so... Well, I'm satisfied with this._

_Until friday, have a nice week!_


	46. Start building!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode forty six – Start building! The ship's plans are finished!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Where the hell did you go? The marines can't have chased you so far that it would take this long for you to return!"

After sprinting the whole way to Dock 13, which happened to be the one furthest away at the very end of all the many docks, Atalaya slumped down onto a pile of timber, sucking in lungfuls of air to calm her thundering heartbeat. She held up a hand to silently tell Roa to wait for her breathing to settle, and the archer scoffed in return.

"Better have a good reason for making me worry," he muttered and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Got a..." Atalaya swallowed thickly and took a few more deep breaths before exhaling sharply and standing up. "I got a very good reason," she said and held up the Log Pose for him to see.

Roa's eyes widened comically and he quickly snatched away the Log from her. "You found one?!" he exclaimed and turned it around in his hands, enthusiastically scanning every part of it. "How? Where?"

"I chased after a couple of pirates and beat the crap out of them, and that Log was part of my reward."

A deep frown settled on the archer's brow and he tore his eyes off the precious compass to sternly glare at Atalaya. "_That_ is your way of laying low?" he huffed, his agitated tone a clear sign for his frustration. "And even after you told me and pretty boy over there not to fight..."

"Hey, don't make me sound like a bad example," Atalaya snorted and smacked the back of Roa's head. "That fight necessary, and it was a very small price to pay for my reward!"

"You said the Log was _part_ of your reward. What was the other?"

Atalaya hummed and raised her hand so the archer could see the ring. "I made a promise to take it with me to the sea," she said and trotted past Roa along the dock until she reached Lance and Kitsune, who were in the process of drawing up a plan for how to build the ship, step by step. Or, more like Lance was sketching up a plan while Kitsune hung over his shoulders, his intentions to irritate the shipwright until he'd snap.

"Ah, ya already had me worried, cap'n," Kitsune jingled when she leaned forward to observe the plan, not even the slightest hint of concern in his voice. "Did the marines give ya a hard time?"

"Not really, but I found a Log Pose," Atalaya said. "Lance, do you have something I could tie this to?" She removed the ring from her finger and held it up. "Like a leather string?"

"Let me see."

Lance plucked the ring from her and reached inside his pocket for a long, dark twine. He observed both objects for a few seconds before treading the ring onto the twine, twisting it a few times and handing it back to her. The ring was hanging neatly from the string, tied to the spot so it'd stay in the same place no matter how you angled the strap.

"It is a beautiful object," Lance said and turned back to the drawing. "Might I inquire who Wesser is?"

"Who?"

"The ring reads Wesser, I thought it was someone you knew."

Atalaya brought the ring to her eyes and slowly rotated it to the right. True enough, engraved on the inside was the name Wesser, typed in ornate letters. "The lady who gave it to me told me it belonged to her dead son," she said and slid the necklace over her head. "The son's name must've been Wesser."

"I see." Lance picked up a quill to add a few final details to the drawing before straightening up. "Now we're all set to begin," he said and removed his jacket. "I did not get the chance to hire any assistance, so we can assume this will take quite a number of days."

"I'll help ya out, fancy pants," Kitsune said and picked up the nearest hammer. "How difficult can it be?"

"If you need even ask that question, it will be very difficult," Lance chuckled and reached out to snatch the tool away from the swordsman. "I'm afraid I cannot let the three of you do anything but help carry around the materials needed."

Atalaya glanced over her shoulder and saw Roa sitting by the edge of the docks with one of his new books in his lap and the Log in his hand, his eyes traveling back and forth over the pages. "I think it's safe to say he's preoccupied," she chuckled. "Kitsune and I will do what we can, though."

After sending Roa a glare of dismay, Lance walked over to a nearby lever and pulled it down. The water next to the dock started roiling, and a large platform rose from the surface. It stopped when it was at the same height as the docks, and Lance smiled widely at Atalaya and Kitsune's surprised expressions.

"Every dock has a platform like this," he said. "There is not enough room to build ships by the store, so Timmy installed these instead. They are quite practical. You start building the ship on the platform, and once the ship is ready to sail, you simply lower the platform enough so the ship will come in contact with the water and float on its own."

"It can carry the full weight of a ship?" Atalaya asked and tentatively took a few steps out on the platform.

"Of course."

Lance clapped his hands together and walked over to his bag, from which he withdrew a utility belt loaded with hammers of all sizes, enough nails and gears to build a fort, and even a small handsaw. He strapped it loosely around his waist and nodded in content before strolling over to a large stack of timber.

"Would you mind helping me with these, Kitsune?" he asked and crouched down to get a secure hold of the heavy materials.

"A'course."

Together, they managed to carry everything onto the platform. "What sort of timber is this?" Atalaya asked and leaned forward to observe the dark wood.

"The species is called Eve, and it is the second sturdiest timber this world has provided with us," Lance said, a hint of pride hiding in his voice. "I would've wanted to build this ship out of the strongest kind, Adam, but we would've been forced to go another round with Rocket and salvage an equal amount of gold to afford something so valuable."

"Eve, huh?" Atalaya said quietly and smiled. "Sounds good."

Lance nodded and withdrew a pair of heavy gloves from his pocket. "If I may ask, would either of you find us an inn where we could sleep?" he asked and looked from Atalaya to Kitsune. "The one who stays can help me get started."

"I'll go," Atalaya said quickly. "I'm not gonna let Kitsune wander the streets here on his own."

"How mean, cap'n..." Kitsune sighed, a mock pout making its way onto his face. "Yer hoggin' all the fun ta yerself."

"We don't need more trouble with the marines right now, and I know you'd _love_ to go out to the streets and on a killing spree, but since I don't want you to experience that temptation, I'll go."

Lance tossed the small pouch to her, and she waved at them both before turning around and moving towards the streets. "Can I borrow your spyglass?" she asked when she reached Roa.

"Right," he said absentmindedly. He stuck a hand down the bag next to him and withdrew it without taking his eyes off his book, the text obviously too captivating to let go for even a second.

"Thanks," Atalaya chuckled as she stuck it down her back pocket and resumed walking, her destination once again the center of the crowded city.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _I wanted the ship to be built from the strongest timber, but then I remembered that the strongest species was Adam and insanely expensive, so there wasn't much I could do about that. Instead, I created Eve, the second strongest timber in the world. Heh._

_I don't say this very often, but a quick thanks to all my reviewers! Your support means a lot to me, and I'm so glad so many of you find my story interesting!_


	47. A place to sleep!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode forty seven – A place to sleep! The lady who loves to mess with pirates!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya hummed quietly as she navigated back to the marketplace. She stood at the entrance for a while, scanning the area for any sight of marines before walking straight back to the lady who was selling the blue apples.

"Sorry about earlier," she said and smiled apologetically. "Just a quarrel between old friends, that's all."

The lady emitted a short bark of laughter. "No need to explain yourself, pirate," she said and waved her hand as if to swat away the apology. "Though I must admit I'm surprised they didn't manage to catch you."

Atalaya rolled her shoulders. "I'm faster than I look," she said. "But I'm still allowed to buy some of these from you, right? Or are these only for the good guys?"

The lady stared at her with raised eyebrows for a few seconds before a warm smile appeared on her lips. "Food is everyone's right, you know," she said and grabbed a paper bag from underneath the table. She started picking out the biggest and bluest apples and casually tossed them into the bag. "Pirate and marine alike, we're all human, and we all deserve to eat."

"How philosophical." Atalaya nodded her head to the rhythm of a group of street musicians, who were playing an upbeat melody outside a nearby café. It added really well to the atmosphere of the marketplace, and Atalaya's thoughts immediately went to recruiting a musician.

"You wouldn't happen to know of any good inns in this city?" she asked, suddenly remembering why she was here and not at the docks.

"Of course," the lady said. "Are you looking for the kind where tourists come to stay at, or the kind where no marine would set foot in?"

A lopsided grin settled on Atalaya's lips. "The latter," she chuckled.

"I thought so. There is one not far from here, close to the docks. Ask for 'The Gallows'. Only locals know of it, so you should be left alone in there," the lady said and handed the paper bag to Atalaya, who stuck a hand down her pocket and fished up a few bills of beri. She traded them for the bulging bag of fruit and bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you," she said. "I'd love to stay and chat a little longer, but I should go before... before my _friends_ find me again."

"Be safe," the lady smiled. "And come see me again if you have time."

Atalaya waved at her as she left the marketplace. She instantly grabbed hold of an apple and took a large bite of it, humming at the taste. "Alright, the Gallows, the Gallows..." she sighed and looked around.

After walking almost all the way back to the docks where Lance was working, she decided to go back and ask someone. She picked the first man she found outside a store and strode up to him.

"Excuse me," she said and greeted him with a nod. "You wouldn't know how to find the Gallows, would you?"

The man stared at her for a few seconds before quickly turning around and hurrying along the streets. Confused and somewhat offended, Atalaya sighed and was about to stalk off when she heard someone laughing behind her.

"Wha', ye lookin' ta get hung er somethin'?"

Atalaya turned around to face who must've been the store owner. He was leaning against the doorway, a wide and toothy smile set on his lips.

"I'm looking for an inn known as the Gallows," Atalaya said.

"Th' Gallows?" The man's eyes traveled from her face to the bag of apples in her arms, and his smile grew spiteful. "Ye must've bough 'em apples from ol' Erika down at th' marketplace, righ'?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Ol' Erika loves ta mess with pirates aroun' 'ere," the old man said and chuckled, his gravely . "Th' place yer lookin' fer s'not called th' Gallows, 's the Hangman's Daughter. Shouldn' be too hard ta find, jus' follow th' street, take a first righ' inta 'n alley, down th' stairs an' knock three times."

Atalaya saluted him with a leisure wave and started moving towards the instructed area. She took the first right into a narrow alley, and discovered an old, worn-out staircase leading down to an even more worn-out door. After sceptically glaring at the door, she raised a hand and knocked thrice.

The door instantly flew open, and Atalaya stepped inside, her eyes widening at the luxury presented to her. The room was built by sleek, almost shining wood, and the bar was lit up by three small oil lamps, giving the room a pleasant atmosphere.

She walked up to the bar and put down the bag of apples on the counter. "Do you have any rooms available?" she asked of the barman, who was in the process of enthusiastically driving a battle between his towel and a stain on a glass.

"Always," he said, huffing as he finally got the stain removed. He flung the towel over his shoulder and reached under the counter for what must've been a list of their customers. "Just for you?"

"Three more, so I need two rooms."

The bartender nodded and let his fingers run down the list before stopping at the very end. "Two rooms," he repeated. "For how long?"

Atalaya chewed at her lower lip, momentarily lost in deep thought. "Put two weeks just to be sure," she finally said.

"And as for payment..."

She flung the pouch onto the table and intently observed the barman's face as he checked the contents. The smallest of smirks flashed on his lips before he straightened up. "Ah yes, this will just about cover it," he said, but before he could put the pouch away, Atalaya snatched it right out of his hand.

"Are you sure there's not too much gold in here?" she asked and casually bounced the pouch up and down in her hand, an almost challenging smirk on her lips.

The barman looked flustered, but before he could say anything more, the door flew open with a loud bang, and Atalaya was surprised to see the woman who had sold her the apples storm towards where she was sitting.

"How many times have I told you, you don't try to cheat pirates off their money!" she snapped and leaned over the counter to punch the bartender's shoulder.

"This coming from the lady who enjoys sending pirates to the _Gallows_," Atalaya scoffed, amused. "You're Erika, right? Some old guy told me about this place."

The woman nodded and took a seat next to her. "The proud owner of the Hangman's Daughter," she said. "And that swindler over there is my fiancé, Ao."

"I'm guessing _you_'re the hangman's daughter?"

"You're sharp," Erika said and giggled. "My daddy founded this place when I was little, and as you already figured out, he was a hangman."

Atalaya clicked her tongue and waved the pouch in front of Ao's face. "So how much do I _really_ owe?" she asked.

"If you're friends with Erika, it's on the house," Ao said and scratched the back of his neck. "And sorry for... you know."

"No hard feelings," Atalaya chuckled. She turned back to Erika and was just about to ask more about the inn, but her train of thought was interrupted when the door flew open again. A round man with dark sunglasses hurried up to the bar.

"Lady Erika," he panted. "We got marines nearby, we think they've found out about this place."

Erika groaned and bit her lower lip. "Any idea why they'd be coming here?" she asked.

"They're looking for pirates."

Atalaya perked her ears and turned her attention to the man. "They're probably looking for me and my crew," she said. "Was there a red-haired man among the marines?"

The man observed her for a moment before nodding. "I think he's a local commander," he said.

A smug chuckle rolled through Atalaya's teeth, and she jumped to her feet. "I'll be right back," she said and waved at Erika as she headed for the door. "I'm gonna lure them away from here."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _The old shopkeeper's lines were extremely entertaining to write. Not because he would've said something particularly funny, but all the apostrophes and mispronounced words... Heh, for me, it was very fun!_

_I have a week of pure hell in front of me, with a small test tomorrow, an exam on friday, I have to renew my passport as soon as possible, I have to get new pictures for my new passport, I have to practice violin, I have to attend the violin lessons..! And I have to find time to write more Race! Worry not, your episodes will be posted on schedule. I just wanted to complain a little._

_Cheers, and see you wednesday!_


	48. Allies ashore!

**Race for One piece**

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**episode forty eight – Allies ashore! The ship will sail in ten days!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya stopped momentarily when she reached the top of the stairs. Throwing herself into the marines' midst would be stupid, so she used her claws as leverage and climbed up to the roof of the opposite building so she could scout the situation first.

Well up on the roof, she withdrew Roa's spyglass from her pocket and carefully approached the edge. Her sensitive ears caught the sound of a familiar voice, and she turned the spyglass into that direction, smirking as she spotted a mess of red hair.

"Where are you going, Commander..?" she hummed.

She also noticed Christian, who had forced a hat over his hair, the orange color almost searing against the dark fabric. Atalaya kept watching them until she realized he and his troops were heading closer and closer to the docks. Kitsune was one thing, but not even Lance or Roa would be safe from Lash, since he might have gotten a good view at them aboard the ship.

"Time for a tactical maneuver," she mumbled and folded the spyglass and stuffed it back into her pocket.

After rocking back and forth on her feet a few seconds, she decided she would taunt the commander and lead him into the wrong direction of the city. She dashed to the other side of the roof and jumped, flying over the alley and landing gracefully on the adjoining house. She walked up to the edge again and inhaled deeply to call out to the marines, but before she could let escape any sound whatsoever, a scream erupted from behind her.

"Pirates! Pirates are escaping!"

Atalaya almost lost her balance as she whirled around to search for the sound, and her eyes widened as they landed on Erika, who was dressed in somewhat childish clothes, making her look much younger than she was.

In time with Lash and his troops, Atalaya managed to hurry back to the roof above the Hangman's Daughter, and she leaned closer to the edge to not miss a single word of the conversation.

"What happened?" Lash asked, none too gently grabbing hold of Erika's shoulder.

"Th-there were four pirates," she sniffed and hid her face in her scarf, not to wipe her eyes, but to hide the fact that there were no tears to get rid of. "They robbed me, stole everything I had and escaped!"

"What did they look like?"

Erika sobbed even louder and blew her nose in her scarf. "I-I only saw one of them," she said, her voice thick. "He was wearing a speckled bandana over his hair, and his eyes were a weird, orange-like color..."

"It's them," Lash growled. "Where did they go?"

Trembling, Erika raised a hand and pointed towards the marketplace. "I heard them say they were heading for the south part of the city."

Lash nodded and released Erika's shoulder. "All of you, to the south!" he shouted and bolted off, not wasting a single second waiting for his troops to get up their speed.

Atalaya waited until the sound of their footsteps had vanished before she jumped down, landing on all four right next to Erika. "Thanks for that," she said and grinned. "You're a good actor."

Erika emitted a high-pitch giggle and took a bow. "Come on inside, they might leave someone to guard this area," she said.

Well inside again, Erika removed the childish robes and gestured for Atalaya to take a seat. "We would've been out of business a long time ago if I didn't know how to mislead the marines," she said proudly. "I'm actually surprised they still don't recognize me."

"Why do you run a business that benefits pirates?" Atalaya asked. "Most of your customers must be pretty violent and ungrateful."

"I've always been standing on the wrong side of the law myself," Erika said and shrugged. "I've never thought about becoming a pirate, but most people label me as a bandit."

"So why do you stand on the marketplace selling blue apples?"

Erika offered her a lopsided smile. "The locals know who I am when they see the color of my apples, so they keep a distance," she said. "But I introduce this inn to every pirate, bandit or outlaw who comes by, intrigued by the fruit I sell. Keeps business going."

"I see."

Atalaya stayed at the bar for a few more hours, chatting with Erika and Ao before heading to the docks to inform the others of their newfound place to rest.

She couldn't help but chuckle as she ten minutes later reached Dock 13 to see Kitsune and Roa sitting as far away from the platform as possible. Roa was sporting a nice bruise on his forehead, and Kitsune's left hand was red and somewhat swollen.

"What happened to you two?" Atalaya asked almost smugly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"He threw us out," Roa scowled. "Literally."

Atalaya arched an eyebrow at Kitsune, who grinned widely in return. "I was tryin' ta help him a li'l bit," he said. "He kept on protestin', and when I managed ta hit my own hand with a hammer, he banned us from the platform."

"Threw me out for no reason," Roa growled and rubbed his forehead. "Where were you, by the way? You've been gone for a few hours at least."

"Found us a place to sleep. The Hangman's Daughter, for two weeks, no fee."

"How ya manage that?"

Atalaya grinned. "Befriended the owner," she said. "She helped me lead Commander Lash and his troops away from here." Her attention was snatched by the Log Pose, which was securely tied around Roa's right wrist. "Did you learn how to use that?"

"I've read all I can about it, but I suppose experience is the best teacher," Roa said, his eyes glued to the platform. "Shouldn't take me long to learn once we reach Grand Line."

"Very good." Atalaya glanced towards the platform. "I'll go ask how he's doing."

"Careful not ta get yerself banned, cap'n."

She smirked at the remark and strolled up next to the platform, cautious to not step on anything important. Lance was crouching down with his back to her, focused on installing large hinges into the rudder.

"How's it going?" Atalaya asked.

"Progress is running smoothly." Lance's response was almost robotic, and only when he was finished with the task at hand, over five minutes later, did he stand up to face her. "Did you find a place for us to rest?" he asked and wiped his hands on a bright white towel.

"Uh-huh," Atalaya nodded. "At the Hangman's Daughter."

Lance chuckled. "What an upbeat name," he said and turned back to the mess presented on the platform. "Would you mind aiding me and keep the keel upright whilst I set up a support for it? I threw those two out, but so far, you're cleared in this area, captain."

"Sure."

They managed to balance the keel together, and it didn't take long before Lance had built a secure support for it. His hands moved at an incredible pace as he worked, almost making Atalaya dizzy if she watched him too closely.

"The timber is far better than anything I have ever worked with," Lance huffed as he stood up. "I bought materials for almost everything we had, so this ship will become quite well sized."

"I can see that," Atalaya grinned as she walked along the keel. This part alone stretched on for a good 50 feet, which meant the ship in itself would be even a few feet larger. "What's your schedule?"

Lance glanced at the ship's base plan. "If I work each day from morning till night-"

"As long as you don't work yourself to death."

A small smirk graced the shipwright's lips. "Worry not, captain," he said. "This is what I was born to do, and so I shall do it properly. I give you my word I will have the ship ready to sail in ten days."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Commander, where are you going..? And by the way; yes, although Kitsune is talented with his sword, he actually managed to hit his own fingers with a hammer. I regret nothing._

_I'm adding a WIP (work-in-progress) up on dA in a few minutes, a picture in color of all the crew members so far, so go check it out!_

_Sorry if any of you guys expected a huge fight between Atalaya and the marines. Since there is no way she would've walked out of _that_ scene alive, I didn't want to complicate things. So Erika helped her out._

_Cheers, and see you friday!_


	49. The wait is over!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode forty nine – The wait is over! Last day in Zaimoku City!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It seemed like an eternity had passed when the morning of the tenth day finally came. Atalaya had woken early, before dawn, and headed out to walk along the silent streets of Zaimoku City. The realization of leaving for the Grand Line finally seemed to properly settle in her mind, and she was having a hard time not jumping around, laughing like an idiot.

Before she got too close to the harbor where she would most likely find Lash's ship, she climbed up onto the roof of the tallest building. She stared out over the sea, a relaxing feeling spreading through her veins as she listened to the silent sound of the waves hitting the shore.

Atalaya sat down on the edge of the roof and crossed her legs. The morning mist reminded her of Shimo Village, and she hummed as she wondered how the villagers had reacted to her first bounty.

_If they had even seen it at all._

She snorted loudly and leaned back, laying her back flat to the roof. The small golden ring slid up to her collarbone, and the smile returned to her lips as she picked it up and observed it.

"Won't be long now," she mumbled, a soft chuckle rolling past her lips as she remembered the old lady saying the ring had a life of its own. "You'll be going home to Grand Line real soon."

Exhilaration bubbled up through her veins once more at the mention of Grand Line, and before she could stop herself, she jumped to her feet and inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with air. "I'm going to become the Pirate King!" she shouted out as loudly as she could, her voice echoing throughout the entire city.

Atalaya chortled when she heard several dogs start barking. Even a few windows opened here and there, and she quickly crouched down on the roof to not be spotted. She waited until the angry faces had disappeared back into the comfort of their houses, and she was just about to jump down onto the ground when her right ear twitched as she heard approaching footsteps.

She prowled along the roof until she located the source of the sound, and she smirked as she saw Christian and a few other marines moving along the street. The lieutenant kept glancing to the left and right, and Atalaya knew he had heard her voice and was looking for her.

"To capture or to talk?" she whispered and moved along the edge of the roof, following the small group until they disappeared around a corner. "Where are you going, Chris?"

Atalaya sighed in content and tipped her head back to stare up into the sky to see the sun peeking out from behind a couple of clouds. When Christian didn't return after five minutes of waiting, Atalaya jumped down from the roof and casually walked back to the Hangman's Daughter.

When she got stepped inside the door, she noticed Erika had already woken up. "I heard your scream," she said and giggled. "You've got guts, shouting something like that in this town filled with both pirates and marines."

"They're all too lazy to get off their asses and chase me down at this hour," Atalaya grinned. She threw herself down into a chair and leaned over the counter, burying her face in her arms. "Did Lance already head to the docks?"

"Yeah, he left a note here as well." Erika waved the piece of paper in front of Atalaya's face. "He's telling you to 'Avoid approaching Dock 13 before I have summoned you'." She paused to giggle. "That kid speaks a different language than all of us. How did you get a gentleman like him to join a gang of pirates?"

Atalaya shrugged. "He asked me if he could join," she said. "He wants to become stronger, he says."

"Judging from all the muscle I saw all the times I visited you at the docks, I'd say he doesn't need _any_ more strength."

Atalaya only snorted at the comment. A brief silence settled between them, only disturbed by the constant tapping of Atalaya's foot to the floor. She was anxious, excited, exhilarated, all at the same time. All the impatience from the last ten days were making her muscles tense up and practically scream in anticipation.

"I finally get to go to the Grand Line," she said and smirked against her arm. "Closer to One Piece and recognition as the greatest pirate alive."

"I think I'll miss having you guys around," Erika sighed and looked around in the deserted lounge. "You turn up the volume around here, in a positive way."

"Really?" Atalaya frowned as her memory took her back two days, when Lance had just gotten back from the docks. He had wasted no time in getting into an enthusiastic fistfight with Roa, with the result of breaking two chairs and part of a table. "I figured you'd be happy to get rid of us."

Erika released a short laugh. "No way," she said and waved her right hand around. "The gloomy pirates that pass by are usually grumpy and quiet, so now I'll only have Ao to talk to."

Atalaya cracked a grin, but before she could respond, Roa and Kitsune appeared at the base of the stairs.

"Mornin', cap'n," Kitsune jingled and took a seat next to her. "Today's the big day, yeah?"

"Yeah," she said and sat up straight. "But the ship might be finished the second before midnight, so don't get too excited yet."

"You seem to be the most excited one," Roa noted and leaned against the counter. "Looks like you can barely sit still..."

Atalaya jabbed him in the ribs before spinning around on the barstool. "Got any apples, Erika?" she asked.

"Prepared a nice little bag of the best ones for you, just a moment..." Erika vanished into the door next to the bar, only to return a few seconds later, carrying a huge sack filled to the brim with delicious-looking blue apples. "Thought you might get hungry at the Grand Line," she said, chuckling at Atalaya's delighted expression. "Take it as a farewell gift."

Wobbling dangerously as she hugged the large bag, Atalaya hummed in content at the smell of freshly picked fruit. "Thanks," she said and dropped it onto the ground next to her chair. She quickly located the biggest one, the corners of her mouth curling upwards at the taste.

Erika's reply was interrupted when the front door slowly opened, a loud creak echoing throughout the room. Only the silhouette of the man who stood in the doorway was visible thanks to the strong morning sun, but the shape of frills and peacock feathers gave away his identity.

Lance slowly stepped inside and brought a gloved hand to his hat and lifted it down to his chest. "My work is done," he said and bowed down in front of the others. "The ship is ready to sail."

"Showoff..." Roa muttered, but no one payed any attention to him.

Atalaya jumped up from her chair as if at had been on fire. "It's finished?" she asked breathlessly. "We can sail to the Grand Line?"

"Yes," Lance smiled widely and pressed the hat down over his blue hair. "I visited the docks only to adjust a few final touches, but she is able to sail whenever you wish."

An exhilarated chuckle rolled through Atalaya's teeth and she punched a hole through the air. "Then let's go, right away!" she said and hoisted the bag full of apples onto her shoulder. "You coming to watch?" she asked of Erika, who shook her head.

"I'll miss you more if I watch you sail away," she said and smiled. "But have a nice trip, and promise you'll come visit me once you become Pirate King."

Atalaya grabbed hold of Erika's hand and shook it. "Until we meet again, then," she said, not able to wipe the grin off her face. "Say 'hi' to Ao for me."

"Will do".

Without wasting any more seconds, Atalaya released her hand and dashed towards the door. "You guys have everything?" she asked and glanced back over her shoulder.

"Yeah," Roa said and threw his own bag over his shoulder, and Kitsune nodded as he tapped his index finger to Hebi Kotei's hilt, his only piece of luggage.

"All my belongings are already aboard the ship," Lance said and held the door open for Atalaya as she bounced past him.

They sprinted towards the docks, the early morning sun casting their shadows on the houses they passed. It was still too early for anyone to be out on the streets, leaving the way clear for Atalaya and her crew to move along the broad streets. "Run faster," Atalaya said loudly, her heart thundering a mile a minute. "We're setting out as soon as we get to the ship!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Oh, Lance, you just can't resist a theatrical entrance, can you?_

_Gah, they finally get to go to Grand Line! I wonder if you're as excited about this as I am? I'm squealing and doing little happy-dances every three minutes, I'm _that _excited._

_Cliffhanger until monday! See ya!_


	50. Ready to set sail!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty – Ready to set sail! Explore the ship!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

At first sight of Dock 13, Atalaya planted her heels into the ground and stopped, not even budging when Roa collided with her bag.

She could see the ship from here. The large sails floating back and forth in the light morning breeze, the dark wood reflecting the sun's rays. It had been lowered into the sea, where it was peacefully rocking up and down in pace with the waves.

Atalaya hurried along the docks, and when she was standing right next to the ship, she extended her arm and ran a hand over the sleek timber. The gunport was sealed, but it revealed the cannons were located below deck. A nice ladder trailed the outer side of the ship, and after admiring the outer part of the ship, Atalaya leaped aboard.

The ship differed slightly from the usual design. The entrance to what must've been all the different rooms of the ship was located on top of the quarterdeck, two stories tall, instead of underneath it. Long ladders lead up to the roof of the quarterdeck, the helm located on a small terrace between the two stories, giving perfect sight from between the sails.

There was no foremast, only the main and mizzen mast. The main mast rose from the middle of the deck, and the mizzen was placed on the roof of the quarterdeck.

Atalaya tipped her head back and her already wide grin grew to the point of dangerous when she saw the Jolly Roger that had been painted on the main sail. The image of two crossed bones hiding behind a skull with enlarged canines, wearing a speckled bandana, stretched over the main sail.

"I recall you told lady Erika how you would've wanted your mark to look," Lance said and raised his hand, pointing above the main topgallant to the black flag above the crow's nest, where the same mark was printed.

"This ain't so bad." Kitsune had taken a seat on the rail and was turning his head back and forth to scan every detail of the ship. "Take a look at the figurehead, _sweetheart_."

Atalaya let her bag drop from her shoulder as she hurried over the deck. When she was close enough, she leaped up on the rail and grabbed hold of the shrouds so she could lean out to get a good look at the figurehead.

The upper body of a sabertooth tiger with raised paws as if in mid-pounce decorated the ship's bow. It was perfectly detailed, giving the figurehead an almost life-like appearance. Lance had done a magnificent job in carving and painting the creature, and when the early morning sun's rays hit the body of the sculpture, it almost looked like it would be breathing.

Atalaya chuckled before taking a more secure hold of the shrouds and swinging herself onto the deck again. "How's the inside?" she asked, practically dancing around Lance, trying to catch a glimpse of every inch of the deck.

"Inside the quarterdeck we have the kitchen, the infirmary, my workshop, and the bath," the shipwright said and counted on his fingers. "I even added a small room right behind the helm, where our navigator could do... whatever it is a navigator does."

Roa raised his eyebrows in surprise and quickly moved up the stairs to check it out, and Atalaya grinned widely when she heard his quiet hum of surprise.

"And below deck?"

"The bunks, the weapons' storage, and..." Lance scratched the back of his neck. "I also installed a brig, even though I know you would probably never use it for anything. It was part of so many designs I've done before, so..."

"We'll use it for something else," Atalaya grinned. "I'm not locking anyone up in there, but we can make it into a secure treasure stash."

Lance nodded and crouched down next to the main mast to open the companionway and motioned for Atalaya to move down below deck. She jumped down the ladders, grinning as she located the bunks.

"There are a few more bunks than we need at the moment," Lance said. "But since I am sure we'll be recruiting more companions soon, I thought it best to add them now rather than later."

He moved past the hammocks to a ladder, which lead up to a loft, just big enough for one person. "Up there is the captain's bed," he said. "'Tis not much to brag about, but I figured you ought to have _some_ distance from a group of sleep-drunk savages at night."

Atalaya released a bark of laughter and quickly scaled the ladder. "This is perfect," she said and smiled warmly.

There was just enough room for her to sit upright without banging her head against the ceiling, and a small oil-lamp had been attached to the wall to provide light if she would ever need it. Atalaya laid her back flat against the mattress and closed her eyes for a brief moment before rolling to the side and past the edge. She landed neatly on all four and skipped past the hammocks to take a look at the weapons' storage.

A long line of cannons stretched on before her, as well as countless barrels of gunpowder. Atalaya hummed as she walked by the walls, which were covered with weapons of all sorts, most likely weapons Lance had created.

She quickly located the brig. It was incredibly small with only one cell, and Atalaya absentmindedly nodded at the thought of locking up their future valuables in there.

"Over here, captain."

Lance was standing by the base of the companionway and holding open a hatch which Atalaya hadn't noticed before.

"This leads down to the hull," Lance said and let Atalaya climb down the ladder first. "Usually, this space would be filled with heavy rocks to help keep the ship balanced, but I thought I'd fill it with water instead."

There was not much air between the water surface and the ceiling, and only enough space on the ladder to carry one person.

"I used a varnish that makes the timber able to withstand the constant touch of water," Lance explained as Atalaya climbed back up. "I think it can prove useful if we ever find the need to store live fish."

"Sounds good, as long as I don't fall in."

They moved back up onto the deck, where they found Roa in the process of scanning every single feature of the sails.

"Where's Kitsune?" Atalaya asked.

"Checking out the kitchen."

Atalaya trotted to the door beneath the helm and swung the double doors open to find a spacious kitchen and dining room. The two were separated by a wide kitchen island, where Kitsune was sitting, swinging his legs back and forth.

"'S a good ship, sweetheart," he said and smirked at her. "Good place ta call home in the future."

"Agreed," Atalaya said. "Did you check out the second floor?"

"Yup. The infirmary's ta the right, blondie's room behind the wheel, and fancy pants' workshop's ta the left."

After a quick tour through the dining room, Atalaya skipped upstairs and into Lance's workshop. She chuckled as she saw all his tools were neatly lined up by size and type, and all his fancy suits were hanging from the ceiling, a safe distance from any harm. The walls were painted the same light purple color as the shipwright's favorite suit, and all the furniture looked like ornate treasures.

Atalaya checked Roa's room next, and was surprised to see Lance had done such a beautiful job to make it comfortable for someone he spent his days arguing with. Shelves were carved into the wall, in which Roa had already stored his books, quills and stacks of papers. A small sofa occupied half of the left wall, and in front of that a round table had been placed.

A door in the other end of the room caught Atalaya's attention, and she moved through the room, careful not to knock anything over. She pushed the door open and grinned widely when she found herself standing on a small balcony. All three rooms of the second floor had doors leading out to the balcony. Atalaya leaned against the rail for a while before moving into the infirmary.

It was very simple, furnished by a desk for the doctor, a wheeled chair, and a sickbed. A small shelf for the first-aid kit had been built into the wall above the desk, and the simplicity had quite a calming effect on Atalaya.

Her cheeks were aching from smiling too much as she stepped out onto the platform with the wheel. The others were waiting for her, each one burning with the will to set sail.

"It's perfect," she said. "I say let's-"

"One moment, captain."

Atalaya interrupted her sentence and turned her head towards the bow. Lance was standing by the figurehead, his back turned towards the welcoming ocean.

"Before we take off, the most important thing still remains," he said. "A ship is only complete when she has been given a name."

The smile on Atalaya's lips grew softer, and she chuckled as she jumped down from the terrace and onto the deck. "I already know her name," she said and looked around. "Grand Line's waters will be what we call home, the world that lies ahead of us is gonna be where we feel comforted. And as this ship is what takes us forward towards the unknown parts of the map, I decided her name will be Atlas."

"Nice choice, sweetheart," Kitsune jingled. Above him, halfway down the shrouds, Roa cracked an unusually wide grin, and Lance nodded in satisfaction.

"Then let us be off," he said and clapped his hands.

"Roa, you're on the wheel," Atalaya called and prepared to climb up to the main topgallant. "Lance and Kitsune, raise anchor and release us from the docks, and when our navigator clears you, make full sail!"

"As you wish, captain."

"Aye, sweetheart."

Atalaya could almost hear her heart beating in her chest as she reached the top of the main mast. The wide sea stretched out in front of them, and the mere sight sent shivers down her spine. The waves in the distant, the smell of the sea, it all worked almost as a drug for her.

"Alright, let's give this a try," Roa called and turned the wheel. "Full sail!"

Atlas cringed at the sudden increase in speed, and a bark of laughter escaped Atalaya's lips as she grabbed hold of the crow's nest to not fall, the brisk wind pushing against her front. The winds made her eyes water, but she couldn't care less as they were now finally on their way.

"Full speed towards Grand Line!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Describing a ship without you guys knowing even in the slightest what it looks like is _so_ hard! I'm working on a sketch of Atlas, but a ship is pretty hard to draw... hope at least you got the main picture! _

_Atlas. I don't know why, but I love the name Atlas. Seriously, adore it. It came to me the very second I started thinking about names for the ship, and I decided to stick with it. Atlas, baby!_

_Heh. Okay, is this end more cliffhangy than the last? I dunno... you tell me!_

_Until wednesday blesses us with her presence, fare thee well, mateys!_


	51. Goodbye, West Blue!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty one – Goodbye, West Blue! Sail towards the entrance!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It didn't take long before Mokuzai Kingdom was out of sight. Atalaya stood up on the topgallant until the island had disappeared into the horizon before moving back down.

"She's fast," she said and grinned at Lance, who nodded in return.

"I designed Atlas to be just that," he said. "I began planning her in my mind already aboard Rocket's ship, when I saw you move past the enemy crowd with such agility. I thought I would embed the same skills into your ship."

He paused momentarily to secure the mast tangle, and a warm smile appeared on his lips when he pushed his hat back from his eyes.

"Like you, I wanted Atlas to be able to move swiftly through even an enemy fleet," he said. "And I made her easy to maneuver." He inserted a cough and raised his voice a little. "Not that I would _ever_ think our great navigator would steer us into a reef."

An irritated sigh emerged from behind them, and Atalaya turned to see Roa leaning against the wheel, his narrowed eyes focused in Lance.

"Could you wipe away that sarcastic tone of yours, pretty boy?" he growled. "I'm more than capable of steering a ship _you_ built."

Lance sighed dramatically. "How come you can always pick up even the slightest of changes in my tone?" he asked, his tone now drenched in sarcasm.

"Ears of a hunter," Roa snapped. "Although you'd have to be retarded to not figure out what you're trying to say."

"Ah, and thank the lord for that, for otherwise you-"

"I don't have anything against a fistfight on deck," Atalaya interrupted and snatched Lance's hat to distract his attention from the archer. She spun it around a few times before pressing it down over her bandana. "But if either one of you want to blow off some steam, I'm sure Kitsune can prove to be a nice punching bag."

A loud chortle echoed from just above her head, and when she looked up, she found Kitsune hovering over her, his hands and feet tangled in the shrouds.

"Ya really are too mean, sweetheart," he said with mock sadness. "The way ya speak of me really hurts my feelin's."

"I'd be sorry if I thought you _had_ feelings," Atalaya said with a small smirk.

Kitsune dropped down next to her and shook his head. "Ya know me all too well," he sighed, but his smile widened as he turned to Lance. "How 'bout it?" he asked and placed a hand on Hebi Kotei's hilt. "I'm bored, and ya might prove ta be entertainin'."

A somewhat surprised expression flashed over Lance's face before being replaced by a confident smile. "If you use such challenging words, I will not back down," he said and recaptured his hat from Atalaya. "Grant me one moment to fetch my knives."

He turned on the heel and trotted upstairs, stopping momentarily to share a murderous glare with Roa before getting his trench knives.

"Me and Roa will keep an eye out for the entrance to Grand Line," Atalaya called and climbed up onto the terrace's rail. "Keep it clean, you two!"

A less than reassuring grin appeared on Kitsune's lips while Lance just bowed in return. They observed each other for a few seconds before simultaneously breaking off the ground.

"So, what do you have against that guy, Roa?" Atalaya asked as she watched the two fight as if their lives depended on it.

"He gets on my nerves, and he does it on purpose," Roa said and shrugged. "At first I thought he was just a pompous brat, but now I _know_ he's a stuck-up bastard."

Atalaya released a short bark of laughter. "So you say," she chuckled and playfully punched the archer's shoulder. "I think you dislike each other because you're so much alike."

"Don't put me on the same level as him," Roa scoffed and spun the wheel a little too roughly, the sudden turn making both Kitsune and Lance stagger. He raised a hand in a lazy apologetic gesture and sighed.

"There's something about him that just pisses me off," he muttered. "But no can do anymore, I suppose. I'll just hate him for the rest of my life."

Atalaya released a short laugh at the sarcasm in his tone. "You do that," she smirked. "You know, I-"

A distant sound interrupted her train of thought, and she snapped her head in the direction of the sound. Her vision was dimmed by a large veil of mist, shrouding whatever it was that awaited them up ahead.

"What's wrong?" Roa asked, but Atalaya raised a hand to silence him.

"There's something in front of us," she mumbled.

For almost an entire minute, she sat perfectly still. Then, she leaped straight off the platform and onto the main mast. She sent a silent apology to Lance as she buried her claws into the wood and started climbing, quickly moving towards the top of the sails. When she reached the crow's nest, she walked out to the far end of the topgallant, grabbed hold of the shrouds and leaned out.

"Show yourself," she hissed quietly.

"Take us to starboard, Roa!" she called. "There's an opening in the mist!"

Roa shook his head roughly, not turning the wheel even an inch. "Sorry, captain," he shouted. "But we're too close to the Calm Belt, and there's no way I'm sailing this ship into a nest of Giant Sea Kings!"

"What's going on?"

Lance and Kitsune had finally noticed something was wrong, and they both had taken a stand next to Roa, who directed their attention to Atalaya.

"There's something ahead of us!" she yelled. "I can't-"

A deafening crash drowned the rest of her words. An enormous forked lightning struck the ocean, the mere impact of it sending huge waves in every direction and making the mist disperse, and Atalaya's eyes widened as she saw what the smoke had concealed.

A mountain, higher than the dark clouds and wide enough to venture once around the world stretched out in front of the ship. It was colored a brownish red, and Atalaya wondered wether the color had come from the countless of pirates who had been crushed against the rocks.

She released a growl and jumped backwards, landing on the rail next to Roa. "We're getting kind of desperate here," she said. "The currents seem to be pulling us towards that mountain, and I think we're about to crash."

"Captain-"

"I don't care if we get attacked by Giant Sea Kings," she interrupted without taking her eyes off the monstrous mountain. "But if we don't turn, we'll be killed!"

"No, sweetheart, 's what we're lookin' fer."

Atalaya turned to stare at Kitsune, who chuckled at her expression. "That's the entrance ta Grand Line," he said, an almost ominous smile on his lips. "'S Red Line, Reverse Mountain."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Aaaaah, Red Line! They're like 5 seconds away from Grand Line, zomg!_

_A slightly shorter episode, I know. And the two episodes that follow will be equally short, since I had to split up the text into episodes, and these were the best points to do so._

_Ooooh, I drew a few really neat pictures and uploaded them to deviantart, so go check out my profile! You'll find the link on my FanFic profile page!_

_Cheers until friday!_


	52. Enter Grand Line!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty two – Enter Grand Line! Atlas versus Red Line!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"'S Red Line, Reverse Mountain."

All heads turned in Kitsune's direction, and he quirked an eyebrow in suspicion. "What ya all lookin' at?" he huffed.

"How do you know where the entrance to Grand Line is?" Atalaya asked and tilted her head to the side.

A slight hint of irritation danced over the swordsman's face. "'S that really what ya should be worryin' 'bout at this moment, sweetheart?" he retorted, and as if on cue, another bolt of thunder flashed in front of Atlas, and the ship cringed violently from the impact. The sky had darkened, sending clouds of pure black towards them,

"Alright, Roa," Atalaya said and chuckled nervously as she turned away from Kitsune. "Let's see if you can navigate past this storm."

The archer equipped an unusual grin. "Aye, captain!" he growled and spun the wheel. "Brace!"

Completely oblivious to the warning, Atalaya leaped off the terrace and sprinted across the deck to the figurehead. She climbed up on the tiger and raised her arms as if to embrace the quickly descending mountain.

"That is very unwise, captain."

Lance had followed her and was now standing at the base of the figurehead, a hand extended towards her. "Come, we will need all of us to get through this," he said.

Atalaya nodded, but before she could take a step closer, Atlas turned sharply, and she lost her footing.

For a split second, she wondered if she was about to meet her end, but Lance had lunged forward and managed to capture Atalaya's hand in time to prevent her from falling into the violent sea.

"What is that bloody archer doing?" Lance growled as he pulled Atalaya up on the ship rail, and his question was answered as thunder struck down where the figurehead had been only a few seconds ago.

"Saving my life, apparently," Atalaya grinned. Still holding onto Lance's hand, she dashed back to the main mast. "Kitsune," she shouted over the rumbling of the rainless thunder. "Get up higher, try to spot the entrance!"

Kitsune said something she couldn't hear, but a nod of his head reassured her. He casually strode over to the shrouds and started climbing, not even a hint of worry or concern on his face.

"We have to find the entrance quickly," Roa grit out and spun the wheel again, zigzagging closer and closer to the Red Line.

"Have a little faith," Lance said, his voice coated with pride. "I built Atlas to be able to withstand weather worse than this."

Roa snorted. "Hope you're right, pretty boy," he said.

"Oi, sweetheart!"

Kitsune's voice was barely audible over the weather, and Atalaya had to morph her ears into those of a tiger's to hear what he said.

"I think I'm lookin' at the entrance," he called and raised a hand to point towards the base of Red Line.

A wide grin stretched on Atalaya's lips, and she motioned for Kitsune to come back down before moving up to the main mast to get a good look at where they were going.

All currents seemed to be flowing in the direction of one single point at the base of the mountain. A stream, wide enough to fit only one ship, was traveling the up the steep mountain, all the way up above the dark storm clouds.

"We're sailing up the mountain?" Lance breathed out.

Roa grinned at his meek tone. "Let's see what Atlas is made of," he growled.

The ship rocked dangerously as the current started pulling them closer to the stream. "I'll have to steer Atlas far to the side," Roa said and ground his teeth together. He widened his stance and hissed as he had to push on the wheel with all his strength to get it to move. "We'll be crushed against the mountain if we don't enter directly from the front!"

Atalaya grabbed hold of the wheel as well, and together they managed to turn Atlas into a good position. The ship was dragging them towards the mountain with dangerous speed, and the tall waves made it feel like standing on a roller coaster.

"Hold on tight, we're going up in a few seconds!" Roa called, and barely had he uttered those words before Atlas cringed again, this time so violently, it felt like the ship was going to do a somersault. The figurehead was now pointing almost straight up, and they were rapidly approaching the dark clouds.

"Kitsune, switch places with me!" Atalaya shouted and let go of the wheel. She ignored Roa's protests and climbed up the main sail, her heart pounding into her ribs in rhythm with the rumbling thunder.

After securely burying her claws into the crow's nest's edge, she stood up straight, and after another bolt of thunder struck down only a few inches from the left end of the topgallant, the ship was shrouded by the clouds.

The cold forced Atalaya to cover her bare arms with fur, but she barely noticed noticed what she was doing as the lightning inside the clouds cast an almost blinding light over Atlas. She started laughing, a stir in her chest making it impossible to stop.

Suddenly, the clouds were gone, and all Atalaya could see was the wide, blue sky. Her surroundings went dead-silent, and she silently wondered if she'd gone deaf.

"Captain!"

She almost lost her balance in her hurry to turn around and look down at the helm, where Roa, Kitsune and Lance were all desperately trying to keep the wheel from spinning uncontrollably.

"We're gonna crash into the mountain, port side!" Roa shouted.

A cold shiver ran down Atalaya's back as she quickly moved down onto the deck. "I've got an idea," she said and moved to the companionway. "Don't let go of the wheel, or you might be thrown into the sea!"

She jumped down the stairs and burst into the weapons' storage. "Okay, cannon balls, where are you..?" She cracked open box after box until she finally found one filled with shiny cannon balls.

Without wasting precious seconds, she urged forth the strength of her ability and carried five cannon balls over to the nearest cannons. She quickly loaded all five, and her muscles began protesting as she opened the gunport and pushed the cannons as far out as possible.

"Matches, matches, matches..." Atalaya chanted, chuckling as she located the small box. "Hold on to your lives, gentlemen."

With a single match, she lit up the fuse of all five cannons. When they all were sizzling, burning closer to the end, Atalaya hurried back to the deck and grabbed hold of the main mast. She watched as Atlas drew closer and closer to the edge of the stream, and just as it was about to collide with the mountain, all cannons fired simultaneously.

The whole ship threatened to roll over at the impact of the explosions, and Atalaya grinned at her crew's loud exclaims. Atlas turned away from the cliff and continued straight, its target the tip of Red Line.

"What the hell was that?!" Roa shouted as she climbed back up onto the rail. "Are you trying to get us killed?!"

"Don't take that tone, archer," Lance snapped and slapped the back of Roa's head. "The captain just saved us."

Atalaya offered Roa an apologetic smirk before turning her attention back to their destination, only to have her jaw drop and her heart stop beating. Atlas had just reached the top of the mountain, and at the sight of the horrifyingly steep drop that greeted them, they all swallowed thickly and tightened their grip on whatever they were holding onto.

"'T was nice knowin' all of ya," Kitsune sang before the ship leaned forward and the figurehead pointed straight down.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Whoaa, they be in trouble now! Ain't this a perfect way to leave you all hanging for the weekend?_

_Quick notice; I must say, I'm surprised at how many of you instantly jumped to the conclusion Kitsune had been to Grand Line before! However, I also have to say I can't answer your questions. As I've told you before, we don't know anything about Kitsune's past yet. He's a great big mystery, and he'll remain just that for a while longer._

_Cheerios, and have a nice weekend!_


	53. Drop down the deadly stream!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty three – Drop down the deadly stream! Survive the fall!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"It was nice knowin' ya."

Atalaya didn't even get the chance to snort, let alone agree with the remark before Atlas went down in free fall. The ship rocketed down the vertical stream, and Atalaya barely had time to bury her claws into the terrace rail to prevent her from flying off the ship before the resistance of the wind started pushing her backwards.

After a few seconds of futile struggling, she gave up on the task to stand up straight and managed to turn her head enough to see Kitsune, Lance and Roa, all three holding onto the wheel for dear life. The image would've been entertaining if the situation at hand hadn't been so critical.

"Is everyone okay?" She had to shout in order for her voice to be heard over the wind's howling.

"Do we look like we're okay?!" Roa yelled, growling as Kitsune and Lance's shoulders bumped into his. "I can't control the ship like this!"

Atalaya groaned and set her feet securely on the deck before releasing one hand. The wind instantly flipped her around so she was standing with her back to the downfall, and she quickly made her claws dig as deeply into the rail as possible to secure her safety.

"Any ideas, Lance?" she called, bringing a hand up to her head to hinder her bandana from flying off. "I'm sure you designed Atlas so she could survive any surprise attacks like this!"

"Unfortunately, the only thing that comes to mind would surely get us safely off the _stream_, but it would also most likely serve to put us in an even more disastrous position," the shipwright replied, but despite his cautious words, the smile on his lips indicated this was something he was dying to try.

Atalaya released an exhilarated laugh and nodded. "Do it!" she shouted.

Lance released the wheel and managed to grab hold of Kitsune's shoulders to not be thrown overboard. As carefully as he could, he moved towards the door of his workshop. After a few seconds' struggling to get the door open in the unyielding wind, he sneaked inside.

It took him a couple of deep inhales to get over the devastating mess the free fall had caused his room. He navigated past the scattered tools, silently apologizing to Mira for the clothes that lay crumpled on the floor, and stopped in front of a small cabinet.

He pulled it open, revealing it to be full of levers. Lance took his sweet time, humming as he traced each lever with his fingers before grabbing hold of one and pulling.

"Brace yourselves, gentlemen," he called as he got back out on deck. "'Tis going to get rough."

"Ya sure it can get rougher than this?" Kitsune's cheerful tone made Atalaya roll her eyes. "Wishin' ya the best of luck with-"

The rest of his words went lost as the ship was suddenly jarred completely off the stream. A loud sound resembling several cannons being fired made Atalaya's ears twitch in pain, and as the gravity suddenly shifted, she lowered herself onto the deck and crawled over to the ship rail.

When she reached the rail, her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she realized they were flying through the air. The stream of Red Line was flowing tens of yards beneath them, and Atalaya blinked rapidly to make sure she was still awake.

Once she was sure she was conscious, she leaned over the rail to get a proper look at Atlas' keel, and she almost released her grip in shock. A long row of cannons had been installed along the keel, making it look like the underside of Atlas was covered by long thorns.

"You built cannons underneath the ship?!" she shouted as she straightened up again. "For what?"

Lance smiled, an unusually mischievous smirk. "Standard precaution, captain," he said innocently. "If we ever were to battle Sea Kings, I arrived at the conclusion that being able to fire at them when they're not above the surface would be best."

"You're crazier than you look," Atalaya chuckled and turned back to their surroundings.

Atlas was just passing over the end of the stream, and Atalaya squinted her eyes when she saw something big and dark floating by the shore. A lighthouse had been raised just by the end of the stream, and Atalaya could've sworn she saw someone sitting outside the small building.

That was all she had time to observe before gravity kicked in and started pulling them down again. A ticklish feeling stirred in Atalaya's gut as the ship's speed increased greatly, and she had to force all her weight to her lower body to keep her feet steadily on deck.

"This is the dangerous part," Lance called. "If I may, I'd suggest you quickly step away from the rail, captain, for when we hit the surface, the impact may throw you overboard and into the sea!"

Atalaya nodded and crouched down to fully transform into a sabertooth tiger. Now weighing a lot more than usual, she managed to drag herself over to the deck and to the helm, where she morphed back and joined the others in clutching onto the wheel.

"I'll chase you through hell if we die now, pretty boy," Roa growled as Atlas dropped closer to the sea.

"Sorry ta say, I have ta second that," Kitsune snickered. "I ain't feelin' like dyin' here."

"We're not gonna die," Atalaya said loudly. "Now stop talking, we'll land in-"

She bit her tongue as the ship abruptly crashed into the water. The impact threw Roa over the wheel, and although Atalaya heard Kitsune break out into laughter as the archer connected face first with the main mast, the throbbing pain in her mouth stole all of her attention. Roa was practically seething as he straightened up and rubbed his sore nose, but before he could speak, all four of them were covered in water.

The impact of the fall had whipped up a large amount of sea water, and it all splashed down over the deck. The archer cursed colorfully as his hair was drenched, Lance quickly removed his hat and leaned forward to shield it from the moisture, whilst Kitsune only tilted his head back and smiled as the cold water hit his skin.

When the fake rain had stopped, Atalaya released the wheel and roughly shook her head to get rid of all the droplets in her face. She removed her bandana and wrung it, grimacing as it yielded a large amount of water.

After shaking it a few times, she tied it over her soaked hair, and the widest of smiles stretched her lips. "We made it," she said and strolled past the main mast and onto the deck.

She looked around, and although nothing but ocean lay presented to her, exhilaration burned inside her chest. After admiring the plain view for a few more seconds, she turned back to her crew, the smile on her lips almost hurting her cheeks.

"We're here. We're at Grand Line."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _/shivers. Oh yeah, here we are. Grand Line. Finally. Ahh, I've waited for this for so long..._

_Yeah, I mentioned Laboon, but no way I could've made the Saber Pirates and him meet up. Not to mention Crocus! So, instead, I made them fly aaaall the way over the end of Red Line's stream and land _safely_ in the waters of Grand Line._

_A few days ago, I promised one of my friends I would give you two episodes, and today is that day! So look forward to episode fifty four, coming up in a second!_


	54. Calm before a storm!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty four – Calm before a storm! Offer peace by weapons!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Everyone gathered at the ship rail to observe what was labeled as the roughest of all seas. The calm waves steadily rocked Atlas back and forth, and Atalaya inhaled deeply, humming at the scent of the ocean.

"Alright," she said and clapped her hands. "Roa, you're in charge of our destination."

The archer nodded and threw a glance at the Log Pose before taking the helm and spinning the wheel. Atlas turned almost ninety degrees, and although the sails were drenched, they supplied a nice speed.

"Luckily my hat didn't take any damage," Lance sighed and rolled it neatly in his hands, his eyes narrowing as he scanned it for any unusual signs. "I think the roses are about to fall off..."

"Is that hat important to you?" Atalaya asked and took a seat, leaning her back against the main mast.

Lance pressed the hat down over his hair and nodded. "Indeed," he said. "It was the first piece of clothing Mira made for me. The roses are a rare species, the Withernot Rose. She raised them herself and when they bloomed, she sowed them into the silk band of my hat."

He paused momentarily to stroke one of the four long peacock feathers, apparently lost in deep thought. "The feathers are from peacocks that visited our island once every third year," he continued. "Mira could only pick one feather each time they roosted, and every third year, she would... _upgrade_ my hat. She probably would've kept doing so if I had stayed."

"Do you regret coming along?" Atalaya wondered.

"Oh no, not at all!" Lance said quickly and raised his hands, the mere thought ridiculous. "I would never be able to regret this, even if I attempted to."

Atalaya chuckled, but before she could form a new question, she was interrupted by Kitsune, who poked her in the cheek with Hebi Kotei's sheath.

"Ya up fer some sparrin', sweetheart?" he asked. "Not that I'd ever question yer strength, but now that we're at Grand Line, I reckon we need all the trainin' we can get."

"You're right." Atalaya jumped to her feet and glanced at Lance. "Wanna join us?" she asked. "All on all, good training for future fights."

A sigh rolled through the shipwright's teeth. "Anything to spare me the shock of the devastation in my workshop."

They had just settled into position when Atlas turned sharply, the sudden shift making them stagger. "Are you incapable of keeping her leveled?" Lance snapped and stormed over to Roa, who rolled his eyes in return.

"If you want me to sail into what will turn out to be a storm, I am," he growled and nodded towards the horizon, where something horrifyingly similar to a tornado was forming. "Still feel like giving me advice?" Roa asked, his tone spiteful.

"Avoiding a storm is one thing," Lance shot back. "But sailing a ship as it _should_ be sailed is a completely different matter."

"Here they go again," Kitsune sighed and sheathed Hebi Kotei. "Ain't we ever gonna get a moment of peace ta fight each other?"

Atalaya hummed in amusement and clapped her hands. "Change of plans." She walked over to the helm and began releasing Roa's grip on it. "You two need to blow off some steam," she said. "And since you look like you're dying to kill each other, I think the best way to do it is to fight each other."

For a moment, Roa looked more than willing to take up on her offer, but after throwing another glance at the approaching clouds, he shook his head. "I'm the navigator," he said. "I'll keep the ship safe. I'll keep us safe."

"Just keep it cool."

"Never been calmer, captain."

A satisfied smirk settled on Atalaya's lips. "Good," she huffed. "Lance, if you're too worked up, I don't think using weapons right now is the best thing to do. You might do more bad than good."

Lance shrugged. "Perhaps I ought to clean up in my room," he said and bowed his head. "If you'll excuse me..."

With that, he turned on the heel and steered his steps for his workshop. The second the door closed behind him, Roa's shoulders slouched and he exhaled sharply. "Damn, pretending to be calm is rough!" he huffed, breathing as if he'd been running.

Atalaya threw her head back and laughed. "So desperate to prove each other wrong, are you?" she chuckled.

"Of course. I still down want to be put on the same level as that idiotic, stupider than retarded piece of-"

The door to Lance's workshop flew open with such force both Atalaya and Roa jumped in pure shock. "Are you certain you wish to finish that sentence?" Lance stepped out, and Atalaya arched an eyebrow as she noticed he was hiding something behind his back.

"Give me one reason why I wouldn't," Roa scowled.

"As you wish."

Lance withdrew whatever he'd hidden with such speed, for a moment Atalaya wondered if he was going to stab Roa with a knife. The archer seemed to think the same, and he quickly backed into the wheel before realizing what Lance was holding was a handful of mechanic arrows.

"What are-"

"Explosive and lightning-charged arrows," Lance interrupted and reluctantly placed them in Roa's hands. "I designed them whilst I was building Atlas, using all the spare parts. I figured the archaic wooden arrows with stone heads were a little..."

He didn't finish his sentence but rolled his shoulders with a cold smile. Roa eyed him suspiciously before closely observing his new artillery. The arrowheads were shaped like they should, apart from the reddish glow of the explosive arrows and the constant crackle of electricity from the others. The shaft were made of sleek metal, and the feathers were genuine.

An almost unnoticeable smirk flashed on Roa's lips as he slid the new arrows into his quiver. When he straightened up again, he noticed Lance was observing him with his head tilted to the side. "What?" he snapped.

"Oh, nothing in particular," the shipwright said sarcastically. "I am simply waiting for a gesture of gratitude."

Roa instantly bristled at his tone and Atalaya quietly chuckled at his temper. "Somehow, your gift has made me all too emotional, and the words get stuck in my throat," he grumbled. "So pull up a chair, because I think you'll be waiting for a long time, pretty boy."

Lance sighed dramatically and began removing his gloves. "How disappointing," he said. "I was hoping this could have been seen as a peace-offering, but since nothing can apparently get through that bloody thick skull of yours-"

It didn't take more than that before Roa released the wheel and threw himself at the shipwright. Not entirely unprepared, Lance managed to angle his body to not take the lunge head-on, but it did send them both tumbling down the terrace and out onto the open deck.

"Kitsune, over here," Atalaya called, her shoulders trembling from suppressed laughter. "I'm afraid our sparring will have to wait," she said when Kitsune sat down on the rail next to her. "Someone has to steer the ship, but I can't do it without the Log Pose."

"Ya sure ya could do it even _with_ the Log, sweetheart?" Kitsune snickered and ducked down to avoid getting struck in the face. "'T was a joke, a joke."

Atalaya huffed and glanced over her shoulder at the two fighting. "Go check the Log on Roa's wrist to see if we're on the right course," she said. "Try not to get involved in their fight. And interrupt them at the first sight of blood," she added before Kitsune stood up. "We're approaching one of Grand Line's first islands, so I need all of you in perfect shape."

"Roger that, sweetheart."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Yay, Roa gets new weapons! And a fistfight! Ah, it's like christmas for the archer..._

_I decided to upload two episodes because this was kind of like a filler. I just needed an episode where I presented a few things, such as a little bit from Lance's past and Roa's new arrows. Somehow, I ended up using a full episode, and I think you'd have been disappointed if this would've __been all you'd gotten on wednesday..._

_So, with a clear conscience I say, have a nice start of the week, and see you on wednesday!_


	55. Trouble before landing?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty five – Trouble before landing? Those who exterminate pirates!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

They had sailed for almost four hours before finally closing in on the first island. The constantly changing weather and the random and sudden whirlpools and tornadoes had left them all exhausted, and when Kitsune's voice echoed from the crow's nest, Atalaya groaned as she raised herself up from the deck.

"Island spotted a li'l ta the left."

Atalaya looked around, chuckling as she noticed Roa practically sleeping over the wheel, a fresh bruise decorating his cheek after the fight with Lance. The shipwright himself had withdrawn to the infirmary to treat a quite heavily bleeding nose, but at the sound of Kitsune's call, he stepped out onto deck.

All that was visible from the deck was a lump of small islands crammed together, so Atalaya quickly climbed up to the topgallant and snatched the spyglass from Kitsune. She zoomed back and forth for a few seconds before locating the island.

The small islands formed a neat circle, all with bridges leading to the ones next to it, as well as to a bigger island in the centre. The one in the middle was clearly where the town was located, since Atalaya could see houses of various sizes.

"It looks like a wheel," she stated and lowered the spyglass.

"'S what I thought," Kitsune said. "Can I go down now?"

"Of course..."

A strange sound had reached Atalaya's ears, but it was so faint and covered by the sound of the waves, she had a hard time identifying it. She narrowed her eyes and twisted her head left and right, but nothing but ocean lay presented to her.

"Uh, sweetheart?"

"What?" she asked without turning around.

"Looks like we got some visitors."

Atalaya instantly whirled around and looked down, finding Kitsune halfway down the mast and pointing to the right. "That ain't look so friendly," he said with the tone of someone speaking of the weather. Atalaya turned her attention to whatever he was pointing at, and she blew out a puff of air at what she saw.

A pirate ship almost twice the size of Atlas was approaching them from the starboard side, constantly sailing closer and closer. Its deck was packed with pirates, all of them shouting and waving around a sword. Atalaya arched an eyebrow at them and focused on their flag, which was very plain, apart from the minor detail that the crossbones had been painted in front of the skull instead of behind it.

"What ya gonna do, sweetheart?" Kitsune sang.

"Ask them what they want," Atalaya said curtly and started moving down the mast. "And you, if anyone of them hears you call me 'sweetheart', I'll confiscate Hebi Kotei, so mind your words, okay?"

Kitsune grinned mischievously and nodded. "Aye, _sweetheart_." Not entirely convinced, Atalaya dropped down onto deck and quickly scaled the stairs to the terrace.

"Got any idea what they want?" she asked of Roa, who was slowly but surely turning the wheel to avoid a direct collision.

"No clue," he said. "They haven't given us any kind of signal."

"If I were to venture a guess, I'd say they are not here for a friendly cup of tea." Lance had moved up to the roof of the quarterdeck and climbed halfway up the mizzen mast, from where he watched the foreign ship with narrowed eyes. "They have raised the gunport and are preparing to open fire."

Atalaya growled and hopped up on the ship rail, grabbed hold of the shrouds and leaned out over the water and closer to the enemy ship.

"What is your business with us?" she shouted.

Every pirate started yelling simultaneously, and Atalaya sighed as she couldn't understand a single word. She waited patiently until they finished before raising her voice again. "One at the time, please?"

The pirates smirked and moved aside, letting a larger man step up to the rail, and Atalaya couldn't help but sigh in dismay at his looks. He looked like someone who never washed or had any interest for personal hygiene at all. He also sported a large belly, and even from this distance Atalaya caught the sour stench of alcohol.

"We are the Extermination Pirates," he said, his booming voice triggering a bizarre impulse to laugh in Atalaya. "We sail these waters, destroying each and every new ship that hopes to reach the first islands of Grand Line!"

Atalaya's expression darkened. "You take away their dreams just as they've gotten one step closer to it?" she growled.

The fat one released a bark of laughter, the sheer volume of his voice startling Atalaya. "That's right," he said and showed a set of brown teeth in a wide grin. "Those idiots who think they're good enough to sail here, those are the ones we sink."

"How low," Roa spat out, his attention no longer on the wheel. He glared at the leader with more murderous intent than he'd ever shown Lance before, and Atalaya was surprised the enemies didn't turn their ship in the opposite direction and escape as fast as possible. "A drunk bastard like you, who can barely stand, has no right to decide who's good enough and who isn't!"

Atalaya raised her eyebrows and smiled somewhat proudly at the archer's outburst, the smile evolving into a toothy grin at the sight of fury in the enemy leader's face. "How dare you, you lowly... you worthless piece of..." The words seemed to stack in his throat, so he raised his right arm and pointed to the sky.

Just as he began lowering his arm, Atalaya realized what he was doing. As if in slow motion, she watched his hand fall, and with an ice cold feeling in her chest, she whirled around and inhaled deeply.

"Hard to port and full speed!" she screamed.

Roa reacted immediately and spun the wheel as hard as he could. Atlas turned the second the cannons fired, and Atalaya sent a silent thanks to Lance for his choice of material for the ship. The strong wood withstood all the hits, although the sound of the contacts quickly awakened Atalaya's rage.

She sprinted along the ship rail until she was standing on the stern's balcony, where she assumed a defensive stance. After inhaling deeply a few times, she equipped her hands with claws and leaned forward slightly, waiting. It only took the Extermination Pirates seven seconds to reload and fire, but this time, Atalaya was prepared. She raised both of her hands and focused as much strength into her arms as possible.

"Twin Claw Cannon!"

Her claws tore through thin air, the momentum triggering a current in the air, heading straight for the rapidly approaching cannonballs. When the current reached its targets, the cannonballs exploded in mid-air, and a perfect smokescreen settled between the two ships.

"Keep going forward until they can't see us anymore," Atalaya said as she dashed past Roa. "Then sail to the island!"

"Right."

"Kitsune, you keep an eye on the enemies and tell Roa when we're out of range and he can turn the ship," she called and prepared to climb up the main mast.

"Aye, cap'n," Kitsune said, leisurely dancing past the wheel and to the roof of the quarterdeck.

As Atalaya reached the topgallant, she quickly released every restraint on the sails, and Atlas' speed increased significantly. She looked over her shoulder and nodded at Lance, who had done the same thing to the mizzen sails.

"Don't let them escape! Go after them, now!"

Atalaya grinned darkly at the panic in the leader's tone. When the Extermination Pirates' ship finally turned, a good distance had already been set between them. A rush of appreciation for Atlas' speed traveled through Atalaya's veins, and she raised an arm in a mock salute to the enemies.

"May our paths never cross again," she shouted and turned around, proudly enjoying this small victory of the first danger they had faced on Grand Line.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Oh, this _can't_ be the only time we get to meet the Extermination Pirates, can it? Fufufuu, who knows..?_

_I'm a few hours late with the posting, and that's mostly because I have somehow completely lost track of the days of this week. Up until an hour ago, I thought it was tuesday... So you're lucky you're getting an episode at all today! Confusion, confusion..._

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	56. Landing!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty six – Landing! Explore the first island!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"We're safe ta turn around now."

A good thirty minutes had passed since the contact with the Extermination Pirates, and Atalaya had counted every second since, staying up in the crow's nest with the spyglass focused on their destination.

As Atlas began turning, she quickly turned her attention to behind them, and true enough, even with the spyglass, all she could see of the enemy ship was a small black dot at the horizon. With an excited grin, she folded the spyglass and jumped down to the deck.

"I'm not sailing to the main port," Roa informed her. "Those pirates will probably go ashore at that island and search for us, so I'll look for a lagoon in one of the smaller islands."

"Good thinking," Atalaya said and nodded. "Where's Lance?"

"Probably changing clothes again," the archer frowned. "Or something '_too dignified for you to know'_."

Atalaya could barely contain her smirk, and she patted Roa on the shoulder as she moved past him and to the workshop door. "Lance?" she asked and knocked three times.

"He's fixin' the damage from the attack." Kitsune appeared above her, sitting with his legs hanging over the workshop's roof. "Checkin' the stern or somethin'," he said.

"Good," Atalaya hummed. "Wouldn't want Atlas to look bad when we dock at the first island." She observed the island for a few seconds before clearing her throat. "You're all ready for whatever this island will throw at us, right?" she asked. "I'm almost sure we'll run into other pirates while we're here, and if they challenge us, we're not backing down."

Roa was the first to answer. "I'm kinda looking forward to testing my new arrows," he said and reached behind himself to absentmindedly caress the feathers of one of the mechanical arrows. "Wonder how well they work."

"Even though you hate Lance, you have to admit he's talented enough to create the best possible equipment," Atalaya said, grinning as Roa only rolled his shoulders. "What about you, Kitsune?" she asked and tilted her head back to look at him.

"Ain't nothin' wrong with Hebi Kotei yet, sweetheart," he said and rolled the sword around in his hands. "Cuts through anythin' and everythin' I used it on so far."

A somewhat worrisome smile graced Atalaya's lips as she quietly wondered what exactly he _had_ tried in on. She was just about to ask when Lance stepped down the stairs next to her, using a once pure white handkerchief to wipe his hands.

"I've restored whatever small damage the enemies managed to produce," he said and stuffed the handkerchief into his chest pocket. "What of our destination?"

"There in a couple of minutes," Atalaya smirked. "You got your weapons?"

"In my workshop."

He excused himself and opened the door, revealing the room to be perfectly tidy. Atalaya looked inside and whistled at the amount of weapons and tools he had hung on the walls. "I've created sheaths for my knives," he said and tied the two holders to his waist. "Though I cannot be sure how sustainable they prove to be..."

Lance lifted one of his trench knives from the wall and carefully slid it into one of the sheaths. It fit perfectly, emitting a small chime as the hilt connected with the sheath. "It'll suffice," he sighed and equipped the second knife as well. "For now."

Sensing Roa's will to remark his modesty, Atalaya clapped her hands together to snatch everybody's attention. "Then we're all good to go," she said and turned around. They had already passed one of the small islands, and Atalaya could barely make out a few rooftops among the trees. "We'll start by finding somewhere to sleep. Coming back to the ship each night would be a drag."

"We ain't gonna leave anyone ta watch the ship?" Kitsune wondered.

"If we find a good enough place to tie the ship, I don't think it'll be necessary," Roa piped up. "Plus, it's the first island, so who here could actually sit still on a ship and wait?"

They sailed past two more islands before finding one with a secluded lagoon. Large trees surrounded the opening, perfectly hiding everything and anything from onlookers. Roa managed to steer Atlas close enough to the lush forest so Atalaya could easily jump ashore without touching the water.

"Drop anchor here," she called over her shoulder. She walked back and forth in front of the forest, scanning the area for any dangers. "I can't sense anything that could think of attacking the ship while we're here."

Atalaya could barely stand still as she waited for the rest to tie the ship. The process seemed to last an eternity, and when her crew finally stepped ashore, she practically bounced into the forest. She turned around and walked backwards, her attention focused on Roa.

"When can we sail to the next island?" she asked.

"Not sure." Roa raised his right arm, letting her see the Log Pose. "It takes a while for the Log to settle," he explained. "Someone on this island should know how quickly the magnetic field around here works."

They kept moving, trusting Atalaya's nose to lead the way, and after ten minutes of walking in the moist forest, the scent of people reached Atalaya. "We're here," she said and sped up, her heart beating at double rate.

Dark clouds were the first thing that greeted her. There was no rain, but the warmth and the humidity made her wrinkle her nose in dismay. "The sun was out just a few seconds ago," she muttered and looked around. A couple of houses lined up along a sand road lay peacefully presented to her. At the end of the road a large bridge had been raised, connecting this island to the main one.

Despite the small amount of buildings, the main street was crowded. People strolled from house to house, chattering with each other or sitting outside the café, apparently enjoying what Atalaya could only label as gloomy weather.

"A spa, a small shop and a couple of private houses," Lance counted as they reached the town midst. "The main island must be where tourists land."

"Tourists who don't get blown to hell by those Extermination Pirates," Atalaya frowned.

Lance chuckled and twisted his head to the sides a few times before walking up to a young lady outside the spa. "Excuse me, miss." He removed his hat and preformed one of his perfect bows. "A lady such as yourself ought not to be disturbed with simple questions, but may I ask what island this is?" he asked, aiming a subtle kick at Roa, who had scoffed loudly at his chivalry.

The woman giggled. "No need to be so formal, sir," she said and fanned her blushing cheeks. "The four of you are tourists, huh?" She looked from one to the other, offering them a short nod. "We're one of the most popular tourist spots on Grand Line, Kanran-sha Island, also known as the Rainbow Ferris Wheel."

"Rainbow Ferris Wheel, huh?" Atalaya repeated and looked around. "Uh... I'm not sure I understand."

"Of course not," the lady said and smiled. "See, the bridges around the main island make this collection of islands look like a ferris wheel, and each of the seven surrounding islands have a specific color of the rainbow."

"Color..?"

"Color." The woman nodded. "Right now, you're on Green Island," she said. "Most of this place is covered in green forest, so it's the color green. See, each and every one of these islands have a different climate and appearance. For example, Blue Island was named after the large lake in the middle, and Yellow Island consists of a sandy desert. Every island was named in a similar manner."

Atalaya whistled in amazement. "And in the middle?"

"Oh, that's the main tourist spot, Rainbow's End," the lady said and clicked her tongue in dismay. "You know, hotels, an amusement part, resorts, all that kind of crap. And in the middle of everything..." She turned around and pointed towards the main island. "The Tower of Luck, from where you can observe the smaller islands."

A wave of excitement washed over Atalaya, and she chuckled in exhilaration. "Amazing," she said and turned to face her crew. "This really _is_ the Grand Line."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Oh Lance, you well-spoken gentleman, you..!_

_Aaah, they're here, they're here, the first island on Grand Line! Who knows what kind of adventure they'll face here?_

_Interesting fact; The idea of the rainbow islands came to me when the Saber Pirates had already strolled onto Rainbow's End, which used to be called Ferris Wheel Heart. I like this version sooo much more, with all the different "colors" of the islands!_

_Have a nice weekend, and see you monday!_


	57. Arrive at Kanran-sha Island!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty seven – Arrive at Kanran-sha Island! The troubled streets of Rainbow's End!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya and the rest bid farewell to the lady and started moving towards the enormous bridge. The people around them looked a bit taken aback, as if it would be rare to see outsiders here. "I guess they haven't had visitors in a while, thanks to those pirates," Atalaya thought out loud as they reached the edge of the island.

She leaned forward to get a good look at the neighboring island. From here, she could only see a couple of dried-up trees, but she noticed the ground consisted purely out of granite.

"I think that's Red Island," she said and pointed. "Granite gives the earth a red-ish hue."

"Wonder what gives Indigo Island its color," Kitsune said, arching an eyebrow when Atalaya turned to stare at him. "What, I ain't allowed ta know the colors of the rainbow?"

"Not at all," Atalaya grinned. "I'm just surprised." She made way for the bridge, and just as she set down her foot, the boards started moving, making her stagger. "What the hell is-"

The boards moved forward simultaneously, effectively dragging her along the bridge. She growled and jumped back, landing next to a chortling Kitsune. The second her feet left the bridge, the boards became still.

"How efficient," Lance exclaimed and dropped to one knee. He bended forward to examine the underside of the bridge and nodded as he stood up again. "As I thought," he said. "The bridge is designed to transport people over to the other side without them having to even take a step."

"How lazy do they think we are?" Roa scoffed and glared at the bridge as if it had insulted him. "It's not even a very long distance to begin with."

Atalaya nodded in agreement and cautiously approached the boards of the bridge. "How does it work?" she wondered.

"Oh, it's quite simple," Lance said and waved a hand around. "With the right gears, creating this is not too difficult. However, it would need a source of power to work, such as a constantly spinning wheel. I shall ask once we get to the other side." He casually strolled out onto the bridge, not even blinking as the boards set in motion. "Come along, then," he called, smiling widely at their expressions.

"Showoff," Roa grumbled and hopped onto this new kind of transportation. He wobbled a bit where he stood, but managed to stay on his feet. After sending the boards a warning glare, Atalaya boarded as well, frowning as Kitsune followed without any trouble and sent her a spiteful smirk.

When they finally got to the main island, they found the way the bridge kept moving was thanks to a bunch of odd horse-like animals, who were tied to a huge wheel. "How do they know when to start moving?" Atalaya wondered and reached out, letting one of the creatures sniff her hand.

Lance looked around for a few seconds before chuckling. "Look up there," he said and pointed up at the top of the wheel. "A Den-Den Mushi."

"A what now?"

Atalaya followed his extended arm and narrowed her eyes as they landed on a large snail. "That... what's a Den-Den Mushi?" she asked, walking back and forth to observe the snail from different angles.

"A Den-Den Mushi can work as a way of communication, as well as provide someone with a live feed of what it sees," Lance explained. "I assume this one sends some sort of signal when the horses should start moving."

"Huh..."

After marveling over the snail for a while longer, Atalaya shook her head roughly and turned around, the sight presented to her making her forget all about moving bridges and slugs.

A big city stretched on as far as the eye could see. The streets were lively, with all kinds of people rushing back and forth between the houses, apparently extremely eager to get to see what each window showed off. From where they were standing, Atalaya could make out inns, taverns, large shops, book stores, food stands, bars and restaurants, and in the middle of it all, the Tower of Luck.

"How long did you say it would take the Log to settle?" she asked of Roa.

"I didn't," the archer said. "We didn't ask that girl back there, so we should find someone here who knows."

"Okay." Atalaya looked around, but there was no way she could tell who was a local. "We should get closer to the main harbor," she said. "The workers over there must know."

Kitsune arched an amused eyebrow. "Ya wanna walk straight inta the Extermination Pirates' arms, don't ya, cap'n?" he asked smugly. "Ya know that's where they're gonna be."

"No, I want to walk straight into someone who can tell us about the Log," Atalaya said and moved towards the busy streets. "Since we're all so good at subtlety, and know better than to create a ruckus, I'm sure we'll manage to find a local bar where we could get information near the harbor."

The three others exchanged a quick glance before quickly following her. "Would you say anyone around here is a pirate?" Lance asked, moving as if dancing to avoid bumping into anyone.

"I don't think so," Atalaya said. "Tourists are one thing, but that captain seemed too confident and satisfied with himself when he told us what he did. So I think we're the first pirates to escape him and actually dock here."

They walked along the crowded streets for almost half an hour before getting to the harbor. The constantly moving crowd made it difficult to walk straight, so they had been forced to take several detours to get closer to their target.

"I can see their ship," Roa said as they rounded a street corner. "They've already gone ashore, so they must be somewhere in the city."

"Well, the streets here look clear enough," Atalaya said and looked around. She spotted a quaint bar across the streets and nodded in its direction. "We'll ask there."

After making sure the coast was clear, they moved over the street and entered the bar. It was quite spacious, but most of the tables were still empty. A few people sat scattered in the bar, and it seemed like every one in here had come alone.

"Lively and up-beat," Kitsune said sarcastically.

Atalaya shushed him and soundlessly moved to the bar, where a distinguished-looking man was in the process of wiping the counter. "Excuse me," she asked and took a seat in front of him. "Do you know how long it takes for a Log Pose to, uh... to show us the way to the next island?"

The bartender halted his wiping and observed her with lazy eyes. He took his time, his gaze traveling from her to Kitsune, who had plopped down in the seat next to her, and finally to Roa and Lance, who were both leaning against the bar.

"Pirates," he stated and resumed his work. "You're a rare breed around here. Been almost half a year since I saw a new rookie pirate."

"Oh?" Atalaya tapped her fingers to the table. "Let me guess," she said. "The second those Extermination Pirates showed up, pirates stopped coming here?"

A solemn chuckle escaped the man. "Yeah, that would be right," he sighed. "They showed up here one day and instantly killed anyone who sailed under a black flag. Even those who were _suspected_ of sailing under a black flag."

Atalaya scowled at the memory of the fat captain. "Do they attack the city as well?" she asked.

"Oh yes." The barman turned around to rinse off the towel, and Atalaya could spot what looked like recent scars just underneath his hairline. "They come here every once in a while," he said. "I don't know if it's just for fun, or if they want to make sure there are no pirates around here. Either way, they always leave behind devastation."

"What happened to your neck?" Roa piped up, unable to contain his curiosity.

The bartender absentmindedly brought a hand to his neck and rubbed the scars. "I was stupid," he said in monotone. "They take hostages to make sure we locals don't misbehave, and I tried to stop them from taking one of this place's chefs. As punishment, they carved my back."

A wave of nausea as well as anger welled up inside of Atalaya. "That's disgusting," she growled. "And the people outside are just casually strolling back and forth, pretending like nothing's wrong?"

"Oh, those are regular tourists," the barman chuckled. "The Extermination Pirates don't harm tourists, so they don't know about our situation. And we need the money they spend here, so we don't tell them of our situation."

A brief silence settled between them, and Atalaya took the time to curse the captain in every way she knew. "Why are they doing this?" she asked after a few moments' silence. "They can't gain anything by just sailing around this area of the Grand Line."

"That's the worst part." The bartender looked around to make sure no one was listening, and he leaned forward so Atalaya could hear his lowered voice. "They are here on command of one of the Yonkou, Blackbeard."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _I am _so_ sorry for being late! I can't believe I actually forgot to post an episode! It's already tuesday where I live... I am a failure as a publisher and an author... Thanks to Socks for reminding me, I owe you one, darling!_

_The plot thickens... who would've guessed I'd throw the name Blackbeard onto the table? No one? Thought so. I'll reveal nothing about his presence in this arc, but he'll be very important!_

_Until... until tomorrow, I suppose... (once again, so sorry!)_


	58. Blackbeard's reign!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty eight – Blackbeard's reign! The consequences of courage!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya's eyebrows disappeared under her bandana at the name the barman had given her. "Blackbeard?" she repeated, the name familiar as she remembered the locals of her hometown discussing it after the great war a few months back. "The pirate who joined the Shichibukai, betrayed the marines and killed Whitebeard?"

"That would be the one, yes," the bartender said, the lines of his face becoming more well-defined. "He's really living up to his reputation, isn't he?"

"But what would Blackbeard gain from this?" Roa asked.

"From what I've heard, he ordered the Extermination Pirates to sail around the first five islands of Grand Line to take out all new and aspiring pirates. You know, wipe them out before they can become threats. He considers himself the best candidate for the Pirate King, so he beheads anyone who could possibly want to achieve the same thing he wants."

"Despicable," Lance said darkly. "Even for a pirate, that is..." His voice died as he couldn't form a strong enough word to describe how he felt.

The bartender emitted a soft chuckle and he nodded. "I know," he said. "No one stands up to them, because doing so would be the same as standing up to Blackbeard, and no one in his right mind would ever do that."

"But what about the government?" Atalaya asked and drew a circle in the air with her finger. "I mean, as a pirate I'm bound to dislike the marines, but they _are_ known for taking down pirates all over the world. Shouldn't they come here to stop the Extermination Pirates?"

"They should," the barman nodded and picked up a dirty glass and started cleaning it. "But they don't. As I said, no one knows of our situation. And since they keep hostages, no one _will_ ever know of our situation." Silence followed this statement, and the bartender sighed and shook his head. "But what you really came here for was the information on the Log Pose, yes?" he asked. "Five days. The Log should decide on your destination in five days."

"Ah... right." Atalaya didn't know how to behave, so she stood up and leaned forward to get a proper look at the man's face. "I'm sorry we can't be of any help," she said. "Really, I am."

The bartender looked almost shocked by her words. "No need to apologize!" he said and waved his hands, a lopsided smile on his face. "None of this is your fault, so there's no need to talk like that!"

"Maybe not, but as a pirate, I feel responsible for what one of my kind has done to you."

"You..." A deep crease appeared on the barman's face. "You're... you're not what one would expect a pirate to be," he mumbled. "But really, it's fine. So go enjoy yourselves in the city, and don't worry about us. We'll be fine. Somehow."

Atalaya nodded and offered him a small smile before turning around and moving towards the door. "Those bastards," she hissed as she rounded a table, her hands subconsciously forming fists. "This is not what a pirate does."

"I said it before, and I'm guessin' I'll be sayin' it many times in the future," Kitsune said. "This is _exactly _what a pirate does. Terror defines a pirate, cap'n, and there's nothin' ya can do ta change that."

"It's people like them who disgrace the name of pirates!"

"I uncerstand you are upset, captain," Lance piped up. "But there is not..."

They had stepped through the doors only to find all the people pressing up against the buildings, leaving the streets clear. Atalaya's eyes narrowed as she noticed everyone seemed struck by fear. "What's going on-"

"I know you're hiding those pirates somewhere!"

The all too familiar voice made Atalaya's blood boil. "It's him," she snapped and made way for the source of the sound, but before she could even begin to move through the wall of people, Roa and Lance grabbed hold of each of her arms and pulled her back. "I'll tear his eyes out," she snarled and tried to flail out of their grip. "Let go of me!"

"Can't do that," Roa said and tightened his hold. "I know you'd love to attack that guy, but there are consequences to be considered here. Attacking someone allied with a Yonkou is like asking to be hunted down and killed, and we don't need that when we've just reached this sea!"

The crowd became restless, and Atalaya stopped struggling as she caught the sound of heavy footsteps. The crew was getting closer to their location, and Atalaya scrunched her nose as she could smell the heavy liquor all the way from where she was hiding.

"The Saber Pirates have landed somewhere on this island!" The leader's loud voice set fire on Atalaya's mind, but she couldn't do much as she was practically dragged away from it. "And I know one of you pathetic beings are protecting them!"

"If you attack him now, the people will pay the price," Lance breathed out, making sure they were moving unnoticed.

With Kitsune in the lead, they had almost reached an alley in which they would be able to hide, when the leader spoke up again. "If no one wishes to come clean, I guess I'll just have to keep killing you locals until one of you speaks!" A squeal of a female voice followed this statement, and Atalaya knew the fat captain had grabbed hold of someone from the crowd.

"That bastard-"

"Stop this!"

Roa and Lance stopped simultaneously at the sound of the shout. Even Atalaya froze as she listened intently. Someone had walked up in front of the Extermination Pirates' captain and raised his voice, causing the entire crowd to hold their breath.

"It's him," Atalaya said breathlessly, the momentary silence that followed the outburst making her ears ring. "It's that bartender..."

"You've terrorized this island long enough!" he shouted. "You've made us live in fear, you've taken our friends and family, and you're still not satisfied?!"

In their shock, both Lance and Roa forgot to hold back Atalaya, who released herself from their grips and began moving towards the voice, practically throwing people out of her way. "Don't do it, stupid," she mumbled. "Don't do it, don't do it."

"But I won't live with your stupid rules anymore! I've had enough of you and your ways, the horrors you have made this city see!"

Atalaya had reached the entrance to the bar and began pushing people aside so she could get a clear view at what was going on in the middle of the street. "Move away," she growled. "Get out of my way!"

"I may be standing alone, but someone like you will never be able to-"

The sound of a gunshot tore through the air just as Atalaya pushed the last one who blocked her view to the side. For a second, everything seemed blurry. Then, she saw the bartender fall backwards, his eyes wide in shock, and with blood welling out from a hole in his chest.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._


	59. Sorrowful fury!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode fifty nine – Sorrowful fury! The reason for challenging a Yonkou!**

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He crashed into the ground with a deafening thud, and Atalaya found she couldn't move. She stood rooted to the spot, her heartbeat thundering in her ears as she stared down at the bartender, waiting for him to get up again. "Come on," she breathed out. "Stand."

A loud laughter snapped her out of her daze, and she turned to stare at the captain, who was holding a still smoldering gun in his right hand. "Anyone else have something to say?" he shouted, laughing hysterically as the people drew as far back as they could. "Anyone else here who wishes to die like a filthy dog?"

Atalaya's legs moved on their own. She broke out of the crowd and dashed straight into the line of fire, but before the captain could even realize what was happening or who she was, her fist connected with his chin. Her hands were completely void of her ability, but her strength alone sent the captain flying backwards.

He skidded until he slammed into a building, and he groaned as he sat up straight and frantically looked around, clutching to his reddening cheek. "What the-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Atalaya had stormed right up to him. She stared down at him, her hands trembling violently with pure lust to beat the man to a pulp. "You piece of _shit_!" she snarled and spun around, planting her heel into his temple and sending him tumbling into the nearest house, crashing through the wall and leaving behind a pile of rubble and dust.

"C-captain Marbray!"

The members of his crew were quickly recovering from their shock, but just as Atalaya assumed a defensive stance and prepared to fight all of them singlehandedly, an arrow flew past her head and buried itself in one of the pirates' chest. A split second later, half of the street blew up, sending a large amount of enemies flying to the sides.

Atalaya whirled around and noticed Roa, who stood next to the bartender's body with his bow raised. His eyes were the size of dinner plates as he stared at the small crater that had formed in the middle of the street, and Atalaya figured he hadn't expected the arrow to be so powerful.

"Nice work, Roa," she said and offered him a quick smile as she ran up to him, panic quickly taking over her features as crouched down next to the bartender.

He was barely breathing, more blood spilling out of the wound every time he inhaled. "Y-you..." he wheezed, groaning as Atalaya pressed her hands over the wound.

"You're okay, you're okay," she chanted, trying and failing to sound reassuring. "You're okay, you're not gonna die."

The bartender shook his head, a weak cough shaking his body and making him wince in pain. "S-some... something 'bout y-you made me f-feel..." His breathing grew erratic, and he closed his eyes in an attempt to focus on speaking correctly.

"Don't talk," Atalaya said sternly, but the man continued as if he hadn't heard.

"You... you a-apologized an-and I... you don't even k-know me, and you-"

"Tell me your name."

The man coughed, a large amount of blood flowing past his lips. "My... my name..?"

"That's right, tell me your name," Atalaya stressed, her hands starting to slide away from their spot due to the massive flow of blood. "Tell me your name, and then you can't say I don't know you!"

"I..." His eyes fluttered close, and a strained smile graced his lips. "My name... my..."

Atalaya's eyes widened as she realized his chest had stopped heaving. Panic welled up inside of her as she searched for a heartbeat, for any sign of life from the man she had only known for an hour. Blood-soaked hands searched for a pulse, and not even when she felt a hand on her shoulder did she stop.

"Captain..."

"He can't be dead," she said firmly, her voice cracking as she couldn't find any sign of life in the man. "Not yet, he was just about to... not yet."

"That may be, but right now, we need you to show us how to be strong, captain."

Atalaya looked up at Lance, who nodded in the direction of the mob of pirates, who were quickly getting to their feet and preparing to attack again. Roa was standing with an arrow aimed at their midst, and Kitsune had unsheathed Hebi Kotei. While Kitsune's attention was focused on the enemy crowd, Roa was looking at Atalaya, both of them waiting for orders.

"You're right," she said and stood up on trembling legs, blood dripping from her hands and onto the ground, the sounds like gunshots in her ears. "You're right, I'm so-"

"_You_!"

She didn't even flinch as she turned her head to watch the fat captain appear form within the remains of the house. He was bleeding from a cut above his eyebrow, and he breathed heavily as if he had been running for many miles.

"How dare you do that to me?!" he bellowed and aimed his gun at her. "Don't you know who I am?!"

The rage Atalaya felt was too great for words. Her eyes drilled holes into the captain's skull, and he seemed to falter a little as she started moving closer. Each step she took seemed to weigh several tons, and she was surprised the ground didn't crack beneath her feet.

"Kitsune, Roa, Lance," she said loudly without turning her attention away from her target. "This guy is mine. Do whatever you want with the rest of them."

"Aye, cap'n."

"Roger that, captain."

When there was only a few yards between them, Atalaya stopped. She chewed back all the unnecessary words and listened to the sounds of the violent battle in the background as she waited for the captain to stand up straight. "I don't know what kind of man Blackbeard is," she said slowly. "I don't know if he's the type who avenges those who hurts his companions or not..."

Without warning, she sprinted forward and planted her fists in the captain's stomach. She growled in disgust as they sank into the layers of fat, and she immediately stepped back when the captain started coughing.

"But right now, I really couldn't care less," Atalaya continued and shook her hands to get rid of the bartender's blood. "Because you took away something very important to me, and you had the gall to laugh about it!"

"What are you talking about?" the captain roared, the sheer volume making Atalaya's ears twitch in pain. "I haven't taken anything from you!"

"Yes, you have!" Atalaya broke off the ground and smashed her elbow into the captain's cheek. The man grunted loudly and dropped to one knee, desperately holding onto his face as if it was about to fall apart.

"You took away the name of my reason for challenging someone from a Yonkou's crew!" she snarled, finally letting her ability cover her arms and hands. "Get up," she spat out. "I'll teach you what the burden of killing is!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _… This made me so sad._

_This episode's on the shorter side, since I wanted to cut it off at a good point, and this was the most suitable place to end it. Cliffhanger-wise, of course._

_Have a nice weekend, and see you on monday!_


	60. Battlefield of Rainbow's End!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode sixty – Battlefield of Rainbow's End! Saber Pirates versus Extermination Pirates!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The captain stood up straight, a malicious grin on his lips. "You think too highly of yourself, brat," he said and stroked his bruising cheek. "Just because you managed to hit me a few times it doesn't mean you stand a snowball's chance in hell against me!"

Atalaya let her teeth grow long and raised her hands. She could feel the blood rushing through her veins as she stood, the constant thumping of her heart almost deafening her, and when she spoke up, she almost couldn't hear what she was saying.

"I don't care about what you think I can or cannot do," she snarled. "What I _cared_ about was the life of the man laying there on the street, and you took that away!" She sprinted forward again and prepared to strike, extending her claws as far as they would. "And now you're gonna pay for what you did!"

"A Devil's Fruit!" the captain exclaimed and instinctively unsheathed a large sword and brought it up to shield his front. The motion left his sides unguarded, but Atalaya was determined to prove her strength to the man, so she struck the blade, the sound of the contact almost deafening.

The momentum made both of them stagger back, the captain more so than Atalaya. The sword was vibrating, and the captain hissed as he grabbed the hilt with both hands to get it to settle. "Curse you!" he roared and lunged forward, his speed catching Atalaya off guard.

The hilt of his sword connected with her chest with surprising strength and knocked her off her feet, and she had to fully transform into a tiger to avoid crashing into a nearby house. She landed gracefully on all four on the wall of a wooden house and immediately jumped back down to the street, where she morphed back into a hybrid.

"You're fast," she said and rubbed her sore collarbone. "For someone your size."

"You new pirates who come here to dawdle at Grand Line, you underestimate what really awaits here," the captain growled. "You have no idea what you're up against here!"

"I didn't come here to _dawdle_," Atalaya said coldly and threw her hands out to the sides. "I came here to become the Pirate King!"

She didn't give the captain time enough to even process her words before she sprang forward again, this time aiming for a clear opening, snarling softly as she could almost hear the ribs crack underneath her fist. She kept pushing until the captain was jarred away from her, and a puff of air gushed from between her teeth as she stood up straight again.

"I won't allow you to even consider making fun of that," Atalaya said, cracking her knuckles as she waited for the captain to get to his feet.

A loud crash stole her attention, and she reacted just in time to avoid being hit by a pirate who came flying in her direction. "What the-?" She turned on the heel only to see Kitsune raise his hand in apology before disappearing into the sea of enemies.

"Jerk," Atalaya muttered and looked down at the pirate, who had landed right by his captain's feet.

The captain seemed to be at loss for words. He stared down at his subordinate as if he'd never seen a human before, and just as Atalaya was about to charge at him again, he grabbed the pirate by the neck and lifted him up.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked coldly. "Don't tell me a bunch of rookie pirates like these are giving you a hard time, huh?"

"I-I can't..." the pirate gasped, struggling for breath as his captain's fingers dug into his throat. "Breathe..!"

The captain growled and slammed the pirate into the street, the disgusting crunch of bones breaking making Atalaya's eyes flinch. "What are you doing?!" she shouted and broke off the ground, arms raised and ready to strike, but just as she got in range, the captain raised the unconscious pirate off the ground and held him in front of him as a shield.

Atalaya planted her heels into the ground and skidded to a halt. Her eyes were wide with shock, and for a second, she completely forgot where she was and what she was doing. The captain grinned at her hesitation and raised his sword, laughing like a maniac as he swung the blade.

"Atalaya!"

Roa's voice made her snap out of her daze one second before the sword would've sliced her body in two. She cursed and jumped to the side, slamming her teeth together as she felt the sharp blade pierce the skin over her collarbone. The hood of her jacket tore, and she gasped in panic as she heard the leather string holding her ring snap.

Atalaya ignored the flow of blood down her front and twisted her head around, a wave of relief rushing through her body as she spotted Wesser's ring a couple of feet away from her.

"Don't turn your back on me!"

A dark growl rolled through her teeth and she turned around, parrying the incoming sword with her claws and slamming the back of her hand into the captain's ribs. "I'll be right back," she growled as he tumbled into the ground.

She moved causally through the streets, which now looked like a battlefield. All the tourists had escaped long ago, leaving nothing behind but countless bodies of pirates. As Atalaya reached the ring, she quickly picked it up and tied it around her neck, wincing as the cold metal hit her wound.

"Sorry if you get all bloody," she said. "I'll rinse you later, promise."

She emitted a short chuckle at the fact she just spoke to a ring before turning back to face her enemy, who had climbed back up to his feet. "Ready when you are," she said and beckoned her fingers, knowing it would taunt the captain.

True enough, he charged blindly, raising his sword to strike. Atalaya let him come quite close before raising both of her hands and crying, "Twin Claw Gun!", and striking the sword.

A loud _crack_ echoed through the street as the blade shattered, the impact making the captain stumble backwards. Atalaya took the opportunity to press a hand over her collarbone, hissing as the attack had increased the blood flow. "Not much longer," she grit out.

The captain had recovered and was looking around for any weapon he could use to defend himself with. His desperation grew as Atalaya started walking closer, and with a loud groan, he lifted a large piece of the stone wall from the street and held it in front of him like a shield.

"Useless," Atalaya stated and braced her right arm. "Claw Gun!"

The stone shattered as if it had been made of glass, and the captain looked like he'd been struck by lightning. He opened his mouth and closed it several times before finding that irritating voice of his again. "Do you think you'll get away with this?" he growled and backed several steps. "Who do you think you're messing with, huh?!"

"I'm messing with _you_," Atalaya snapped and raised both of her arms. "Whatever the consequences, _you're_ the one I have a bone to pick with!"

That was all she said before widening her stance and attacking, effectively burying both of her hands into the man's shoulders. He screamed in pain, and Atalaya quickly drew back and turned away from him. "Alone you stand, and alone you fall," she said loudly. "You're not even worth to have me watch you go."

She walked away from the scene after that, her ears shutting out everything that had with the captain to do. Instead, she looked to the left, more than proud to see her crew waiting for her next to where the bartender lay motionless. Both Roa and Lance were breathing heavily, with minor cuts and bruises here and there, while Kitsune just offered her the usual smile.

"Ya getting' sloppy er what, cap'n?" he asked and pointed at her chest, which was covered in blood.

"He caught me off guard," Atalaya said and shrugged, her shoulders protesting at the pain. She ignored Kitsune's questioning expression and crouched down next to the bartender. "Roa." She looked up at him to see him nod. "Go look for a local and find out where the best place for a funeral is on this island," she said.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _This episode... wow, I don't even know what to say..._

_I see it's emotional and sad episodes that draw the reviewers out of their lairs... thanks for the support, guys, I really appreciate your kind words!_

_Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	61. Victory is not always cheerful!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode sixty one – Victory is not always cheerful! A promise at the grave of Purple Island!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

There was no one to be seen as Atalaya carried the bartender's lifeless body along the streets of Rainbow's End. In the aftermath of the battle, every single tourist had vanished, and the locals were most likely hiding, thinking the Extermination Pirates were still roaming about in the city.

Roa had found a couple of locals hiding under the tables of a restaurant, and after calming them down enough to talk, he had found out the best place to bury someone would be at the blossoming meadows of Purple Island.

The others had offered to carry the bartender, but Atalaya had refused. She was breathing heavily as she had already walked a couple of miles with him on her back, and the cut over her collarbone was still bleeding.

"Which way?" she breathed out as they arrived at the Tower of Luck, which stood in the exact middle of Kanran-sha Island.

"Left," Roa said. "Captain, maybe one of us should-"

"No need."

He sighed and scratched his neck as he walked ahead of her to scout out the fastest way possible. "Alright, well, left here," he called.

A drop of sweat tickled Atalaya's nose as it traveled down her face, the sound of it hitting the ground as loud as a gunshot in her ears. Her jacket was soaked in blood, but she squirmed in an attempt to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling, the bartender's body began to slip.

"Whoa there, sweetheart." Kitsune had stepped up next to her just in time to save her from dropping the man onto the ground. "I ain't sayin' yer weak, but let one of us help ya carry him," he said. "Not take over, just... help."

Atalaya glared at him for a few seconds before nodding. "Fine," she mumbled.

"Good," Kitsune said and turned around. " Oi, fancy pants, help the cap'n out, would ya?"

An amused scoff escaped Atalaya as her first mate casually strolled past her, the intention to help not even crossing his mind. "Can be quite an ass, can't he?" she asked as Lance braced some of the bartender's weight on his shoulder.

"Quite so, indeed," the shipwright chuckled. "But he has a certain way about him, something that keeps one interested. I must admit myself confused, however, about the fact that he refuses to call anybody by their name."

"I haven't even thought about that," Atalaya huffed. "I guess it's the same with you and Roa, though. You never call each other by your names."

Lance's expression turned sour at the mention of Roa's name. "You reap what you sow," he said simply. "He has the gall to call me 'pretty boy', thus I am only returning the favor."

"Of course."

They moved along the streets, the complete lack of people making it faster to move. No one to ask questions, no one to marvel at the sight of a small group of pirates on their way to bury someone they didn't even know in the first place.

When they got to the bridge leading to Purple Island, Atalaya stopped. She looked around for a second before spotting what she was looking for. "Someone take out the Den-Den Mushi," she said. "We're walking the entire way, I don't want any transport."

Roa nodded and jumped over the fence that kept the horses at bay. He quickly climbed up the wheel and tentatively poked the snail. "Sorry, little fellow," he mumbled as he closed his hand around it and pulled it off the wheel.

"Uh..." He jumped down and looked around. "Where do I put this?" he asked and raised the Den-Den Mushi.

"Somewhere where it can't see us," Atalaya said and resumed walking.

Roa looked somewhat lost for a few seconds before sticking the snail into his pocket. "I'll just put it back when we return," he muttered.

The crossing of the bridge seemed to take so much longer now that they had to move themselves. Atalaya kept her eyes straight, focusing on her steps as the loss of blood was starting to make her feel a little dizzy. She shook her head, careful not to let the bartender slip from her hands, and inhaled sharply, the fresh air keeping her vision clear.

As they reached the end of the bridge, Atalaya could immediately see why this was called Purple Island. The island seemed to consist only of one large meadow, flourishing with large, beautiful purple flowers. She could see smoke raising from far to the west side of the island and figured that's where the town was.

"We'll bury him in the middle," she said, her eyes set on a small tree in the midst of the flowers.

They walked slowly, as if attending a proper funeral ceremony. The weight of the bartender seemed to push down on Atalaya's shoulders more than before, and as they finally reached their destination, she groaned as she lay him down on the ground, her arms practically crying in relief of the weight.

Without a word, she equipped herself with claws and started digging a large hole at the root of the tree. Roa and Lance were quick to help, and with Kitsune watching, they managed to create a big enough grave. As carefully as she could, Atalaya lowered the bartender into the ground and started shoveling the earth back over him.

"Someone give me a dagger," she said as she straightened up again.

Kitsune was the first to react. He withdrew a small knife from within his kimono and, much to Roa and Lance's shock, he threw it at her as if with intention to kill.

She caught between her fingers just in time to stop it from piercing her shoulder, and Kitsune's smirk grew wider. "Glad ta see yer reflexes still work, sweetheart," he said gleefully.

"Glad to see you're still trying to kill me, Kitsune," Atalaya shot back, a somewhat irritated grin flashing over her lips.

She turned back to the grave and moved around it, placing the knife against the tree. The sharp dagger moved smoothly as she carved the bark, leaving behind proof that someone was resting here, and warning each and every one who would see this to not step over the grave.

"'This is the final resting place of a brave but nameless man'," Roa read out loud when Atalaya straightened up and took a few steps back. "'As well as a statement to all who sees this; although revenge may be the wrong motive, it can sometimes become what will drive you forward'."

He stared at Atalaya, his lips parted in a silent question, and though her attention was placed on the grave and not on him, she knew exactly what that question was. "That's right," she said and smiled at the grave before turning her back on it. "Let's get going."

A sigh of understanding escaped Kitsune as her words formed in his mind, and Lance closed his eyes and nodded in agreement before raising his voice to ask, "What is the plan of action?"

"Right now, we're going back to Rainbow's End," Atalaya said. "After that, we're going to hunt down every last ship that sails under the flag of the Extermination Pirates, and destroy them all."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Imagine some badass guitar music when Atalaya speaks her last line. The level of awesome will increase threefold._

_I am not excited at all about what's gonna come next._

… _sense the sarcasm?_

_Before you ask; no, Kitsune isn't actually _trying_ to kill Atalaya, but do remember what kind of guy he is. If Atalaya had missed that knife, she either would've died (and he probably wouldn't have cared much), or she would've been injured, and he would get so disappointed, he would leave her and the rest of the crew. It was his way of testing her._

_Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention it's a Baby Den-Den Mushi, that's how Roa can fit it into his pocket. Didn't realize I hadn't mentioned it before now... oops._

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	62. A way to their destination?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode sixty two – A way to their destination? Raid the enemy pirates' ship!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Lance nodded once again at Atalaya's words, and he didn't need to ask any more questions. Instead, he glanced over his shoulder and at the grave and tipped his head in a salute of respect for the bartender before trotting after the others.

"How're we gonna find all of the Extermination Pirates?" Roa asked as they reached the end of the meadow. "Since there are five different routes you can start at on Grand Line, I assume there are still four more pirate ships sailing."

"Can't we just sail to the other four islands and beat them there?" Atalaya wondered.

Roa scowled, an almost offended expression appearing on his face. "It's not that simple, Atalaya," he said. "The Log will show the way to the next island, but not to the ones around us. It points only onwards from here. And without something to show us our course, we'd end up at hell's gates sooner than reach another island."

"Alright, alright, got it." Atalaya stayed silent until they reached Rainbow's End. "Okay, we'll figure something out later," she said. "But for now, let's go raid their ship. We might find something useful, gold if nothing else. Then we'll sit down and rest properly."

"Ya really think walkin' around with a cut like that's a good idea?" Kitsune piped up and pointed at the still bleeding wound on Atalaya's collarbone.

"Of course I don't," she huffed. "So if you want to help, go find me a doctor."

Kitsune's smirk widened and he quickly snapped his fingers. "Blondie, make yerself useful and go find a doctor," he said loudly.

"You don't give me orders!" Roa growled and aimed a kick at Kitsune, much to Atalaya's amusement. "The captain asked you, so _you_ do it, lazy fox face!"

Just as Atalaya was about to break them up, Lance shot the archer a cold smile and bowed down in front of her. "I shall find a doctor, captain," he said. "Someone as inadequate is not to be trusted with a task too difficult, wouldn't you agree?"

That was all it took for Roa to stop his tantrum, and after glaring at the shipwright with murderous intent, he stomped past them, muttering something about 'annoying bastards' and 'disrespect'.

"Sneaky," Atalaya stated, a wide grin on her lips.

"It was just simple manipulation," Lance chuckled and tipped his hat forward. "For ignorant fools like him, it's-"

His sentence was interrupted when something small connected with his temple. The almost slimy sound that emitted from the contact sent a cold shiver down Atalaya's spine, and her eyes widened as she realized it was the Den-Den Mushi from before.

Atalaya glanced over her shoulder to see Roa standing halfway down the road, an extremely satisfied smirk on his lips. "Make yourself useful and put that back where it came from, pretty boy!" he shouted before turning on the heel and casually strolling onwards.

"Lance?"

The shipwright seemed to be close to fainting as the snail slid down to his cheek, from where it started slowly making its way over the bridge of his nose. While Kitsune almost toppled over with laughter, Atalaya quickly reached out and freed Lance from the snail. She couldn't stop chuckling as she climbed up the wheel and let the Den-Den Mushi take its original place, and when she got back down, Lance was still frozen solid.

"Think he's dead?" Kitsune asked and waved a hand in front of the shipwright's face. "'S not respondin'..."

"Let me try something." Atalaya moved in front of him, inhaled deeply and dramatically exclaimed, "Oh no, the sleeve of your jacket has a cut in it, Lance!"

"_What_?!"

The effect was instant. Lance snapped out of his daze and started twisting around, desperately searching for whatever damage could've befallen his precious suit. "Where?" he asked. "Oh, Mira would bury me alive if she knew..."

"Might've seen wrong," Atalaya said cheerfully and started walking towards the harbor. "Let's search through the Extermination Pirates' ship before a doctor finds me."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

When they arrived at the docks twenty minutes later, people had already started appearing on the streets again, mostly locals in hope to rebuild what had been destroyed during the battle. They looked at the trio with wide eyes, whispering about the blood on their clothes.

"They're annoyin' me," Kitsune stated and repeatedly unsheathed and sheathed Hebi Kotei. "Can't I have a go with 'em?"

"Not a chance," Atalaya chuckled. "You're too dangerous for that."

"I'm restless."

"After battling an army not more than an hour ago?"

Kitsune rolled his shoulders and his smile widened, but he remained silent. Before she could stop herself, Atalaya sighed deeply, an act that caused more blood to spill from her wound. "When we're done with the ship, you can destroy it," she coughed and waved a hand around. "And after that, we're going to finish off the rest of the Exterminators, so have a little patience, okay?"

"Ya sure know how ta make a cold-blooded killer happy, swee-"

A strike to the ribs interrupted his sentence, and he coughed a few times before hissing out, "Sorry, cap'n.". Atalaya shook her head before moving closer to the large ship, the sheer size informing her it would take hours to fully search it through.

"Alright, let's begin before Roa comes chasing after me with that doctor," she said and started climbing up the ladder.

Well up on the deck, what first caught her attention was the less than pleasant stench of alcohol. It reeked like booze all over the deck, and she scrunched her nose as she started moving around on the deck, searching for anything that could be useful.

"These pirates were not worthy of sailing a ship like this," Lance muttered as he climbed aboard.

"How come?" Atalaya asked as she rounded the main mast.

Lance raised a hand and pointed out several disfigurations and flaws that had clearly happened after the ship had been built. "They did not even bother to restore her to her original glory," he said and crouched down to observe the ship rail, where many pieces of wood had been broken off. "A shame," he sighed.

A hum of agreement escaped Atalaya as she moved past him and towards the captain's cabin, where the smell was strongest. "Do I even dare look inside?" she mumbled quietly, inhaling deeply and holding her breath before pushing the doors open.

The sight presented to her almost made her stumble backwards and fall over. Empty bottles of liquor, half-eaten servings of food, as well as the remain of that unfortunate body-odor all made Atalaya want to throw up, but she clamped down a hand over her nose and moved inside, careful not to step in anything half rotten.

Various charts were sprawled out over the desk, but most of them were unreadable as the captain had apparently spilled wine on them more than once or twice. Atalaya tried to read some of them, but even if they had been unharmed, she wouldn't have understood a thing. A small note on the middle of the desk captured her attention, and she had to squint to be able to read the sloppy and tiny letters.

"'Gather at the Cove by nightfall'," she read out loud, her confusion growing even more. She stared down at the note for a few more seconds before folding it and sticking it down her pocket. "Might be useful somehow..."

"Atalaya, I brought the doctor!"

Atalaya groaned, but moved around the desk and towards the door. Just as she was about to leave the room, she accidentally kicked something small, a faint _clink_ reaching her ears. She stopped with her hand on the door handle and looked down, narrowing her eyes as she spotted an hourglass-shaped object laying on the floor.

"What's this..?" She bent down to pick it up and brought it closer to her eyes. A small needle, just like the one in the Log Pose had been installed in the middle, and when she turned it around, she noticed a small inscription on the cap of the hourglass.

RESTERAN COVE

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _I'm really excited about the following episodes! Can't wait until monday, when I get to post more!_

_Have a nice weekend, folks!_


	63. Patched up and ready to go!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode sixty three – Patched up and ready to go! Enjoy the small spoils of war!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Come on, captain, you need to get your wound fixed!"

"Alright, I'm coming!" Atalaya snuck the hourglass into her pocket and moved back out on deck, a deep crease settling on her forehead. "It's not that bad," she said as she spotted Roa standing on the docks, a somewhat scared-looking woman standing next to him.

"Not that bad, my ass," Roa scoffed and crossed his arms when she jumped down from the ship and onto the docks. "_We_'ll keep searching for something useful while _you_ go with the doctor to some place you can rest!"

Atalaya arched an eyebrow at him and smirked. "Since when does the navigator give out orders?" she asked tantalizingly.

"Since the captain doesn't know when to lay down and take it easy," Roa snapped. He turned his back to her and started climbing up the ladders, muttering under his breath about irresponsibility.

A chuckle rolled past Atalaya's teeth as he vanished from her line of sight. "So." She turned to face the doctor, who flinched slightly and made a move as if she wanted to back away. "I'm not gonna hurt you," Atalaya said and raised her hands as a gesture of defeat. "I just need to get my chest fixed."

The doctor nodded slowly and extended her arm. "I-I'm Loya," she said shakily.

Atalaya grabbed her hand and shook it enthusiastically. "Atalaya," she said. "Do you have a place in mind where you'd fix me?"

"Ah, yes, my apartment is not far from here..."

After throwing a last glance at the ship, Atalaya followed Loya along the streets. They moved under silence, and Atalaya knew it was because the doctor was intimidated. "Do I really scare you that much?" she asked casually.

"Oh..." Loya rubbed her quickly reddening cheeks before answering. "Not so much, no," she said. "I'm always like this, and your... navigator, was it? Well, he was very... um... straightforward."

Atalaya chortled. "Believe me, he was the best one for the job," she smirked. "Otherwise you'd either be a target of some _vicious_ wooing, or a crazy guy with a sword would be chasing you down the streets."

The expression on Loya's face made Atalaya break out into laughter, something she regretted as soon as her wound throbbed painfully. "How much further?" she asked. "To your apartment, I mean."

"Oh, it's just around the corner here..."

Well inside Loya's apartment, she directed Atalaya to the bed and told her to wait here. "I'll just go fetch my tools," she said from the doorway. "Why don't you remove your jacket so I can get a proper look at your wound?"

A somewhat uncomfortable feeling made Atalaya squirm, but she did as she'd been told. While Loya was still in the other room, she grabbed a roll of bandaid from an open first-aid kit next to the bed and tied it around her chest to hide any evidence of her gender.

"Can I come in?"

Loya entered the room again just as Atalaya had finished covering her chest. The doctor paused momentarily, her eyes lingering at the bandaids. "An old wound?" she asked as she pulled a chair up to the bed.

"You could say that," Atalaya mumbled. "Eh..." She tried to come up with anything to change the subject with, but Loya did it for her.

"I thought it was wonderful how you stood up to that evil pirate," she said and leaned closer, a ball of cotton prepared for swabbing in her hand. "Was the bartender close to you?"

"Not at all. In fact, I just met him earlier today."

"Eh?" Loya accidentally poked her a little too hard in surprise, and her face went red as a tomato in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry!" she squealed, waving her arms around like a windmill.

Atalaya grinned widely at her meek attitude. "No worries," she said. "I can take worse than that."

A brief silence settled between them as Loya seemed to embarrassed to talk, but when she was about to start sowing the wound shut, she raised her voice again. "So why did you defend that man if you didn't know who he was?" she asked cautiously.

Atalaya was about to shrug when she felt the needle press through her skin. It stung a bit, but it wasn't nearly as bad as getting your hands pierced by shurikens, or almost having your tail ripped off. "I'm not sure," she said. "He helped me out just a few minutes before he died, and I always pay back my debts. Plus, that captain was behaving like a swine, so I just did what was natural."

"Natural, eh..?"

Memories of the bartender started flashing past Atalaya's eyes, so she sighed and let her eyelids flutter close. "I'm gonna take a nap," she said. "Wake me when you're done."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Although Atalaya didn't sleep for more than forty minutes, she felt extremely refreshed when she woke up. Her neck was a little sore from sleeping sitting up, but after throwing a quick glance at her now clean wound, she equipped a wide smirk.

"Loya?" She looked around for a sign of the doctor, but when she didn't get an answer, she grabbed her jacket and quickly zipped it up.

She moved to the living room, where she found a small note on the dinner table. "'Had to run, got called to Yellow Island'," she read out loud. "'Let yourself out, and hope your wound will heal smoothly. Loya'. Aw, and I was gonna ask her to join us too..."

Atalaya let the note flutter down onto the table and rocked back and forth on her heels for a bit before walking out of the apartment. The sun was already starting to set, so Atalaya hurried down the streets, slowing down only when she reached the docks. Even from this distance, she could hear her crew going at each other, and she hummed as she hoisted herself onto the deck.

"How's it going?" she asked when she spotted Kitsune sitting on a nearby barrel.

"Blondie and fancy pants're below deck, tryin' ta kill each other," he said and rolled his shoulders. "In other words, nothin' unusual."

"Did you find anything useful?"

"Ah, right." Kitsune used his foot to push a small bag towards Atalaya. "It ain't much, but a bag full of jewels 's better than nothin', yeah?" he said, grinning.

"Oh yeah," Atalaya chuckled. "Well, if there's nothing else here, we should get going. Go fetch the two and we'll get back to the ship to prepare for take-off."

"Aye, cap'n."

It took them a whole hour to get back to Atlas. The bridge was out of function due to the damages caused to the city; the horses had been removed and appointed to help pulling bricks and stones around. On Green Island, everybody stopped them to try and find out what had happened on Rainbow's End, and Atalaya would've lost her temper and forced the people out of her way if not for Lance, who was oddly talented in dealing with crowds.

"Now then."

They were all seated around the table in the kitchen, a few live candles providing them with enough light to go through their salvages. Atalaya smiled in content as she observed the precious stones her crew had brought back, and she bounced a large emerald up and down in her hand as she turned her attention to the others. "Did you find anything that could show us the way to the other ships?" she asked.

"No," Lance said. "All that could be found below deck were those jewels, and the most disgusting bunks I have ever laid my eyes on."

"They have to have had _some_ way of knowing where the other ships were," Atalaya stated. "So they wouldn't trespass on each other's 'territories'."

"All we found in the captain's cabin were some charts," Roa said and held up a handful of rolled-up papers. "Not that they're gonna be of any help. They're in terrible condition."

Atalaya absentmindedly withdrew the hourglass from her pocket. "I found this as well," she said and placed it on the middle of the table. "It looked cool, so I..."

She stopped when she noticed Roa's eyes had widened comically, and he stared at the object as if paralyzed. He didn't even react when Kitsune poked him in the side, so Atalaya loudly cleared her throat. "Roa..?" she asked cautiously.

"You found an Eternal Pose?!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Augh, they're getting closer and closer to the action..! Slowly but surely, of course. Gah, why didn't I write this so it skipped right to the action?!_

_Eheheh._

_Okay, before I get too excited about what I'm posting, I better stop writing. Until wednesday, fare thee well, my dear readers!_


	64. What lies ahead!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode sixty four – What lies ahead! The destination is Resteran Cove!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"You found an Eternal Pose?!"

Atalaya jumped at Roa's sudden outburst, and she suspiciously eyed the hourglass-shaped object on the table. "I have no idea what this is," she said defiantly. "I picked it up from the captain's cabin just before I went to the doctor's."

"And you still let us keep searching for two more hours?"

A mischievous smirk graced Atalaya's lips. "You're the one who said I had to go with the doctor without any delay" she said, almost spitefully. "And I repeat; I had no idea this was an Eternal Pose." She was silent for a few seconds before asking, "What's an Eternal Pose?"

Roa sighed dramatically and sat back down, a concentrated expression on his face. "Okay, uh," he said, furrowing his brow as he searched his memory for all the details. "You know how a Log Pose shows us the directions from one island to the next, all depending on the magnetic field? Well, an Eternal Pose can show you the way to one specific island on Grand Line, regardless of what the Log shows."

When Atalaya still looked somewhat confused, Roa added, "Say you had an Eternal Pose to Raftel, then that Pose would show you the straight way to the final island of Grand Line. This Pose is to Resteran Cove, and it's pointing in that direction all the time, no matter where we take it."

"Oh." Atalaya turned her attention back to the small object on the table. "Oh!" she exclaimed as she remembered the crumpled note in her pocket. "I bet this Resteran Cove is the base of the Extermination Pirates, and I found this note on the middle of the captain's desk!"

She flicked the note onto the table, and Lance was the fastest one to pick it up. "'Gather at the Cove at nightfall'," he read out loud. "How can we be certain it is _this _nightfall?"

"We can't," Atalaya grinned. "But it's worth a shot, right?"

"I say it's safe ta assume it's tonight," Kitsune said absentmindedly, and when everyone stared at him with surprise, he sighed. "'S not that difficult ta work out. Ya said ya found that note on that cap'n's desk, yeah? So, I say he ain't had time enough ta even stash it away, which means he's gotten it sometime today."

Atalaya and Lance chortled while Roa kept staring at Kitsune with eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "I'm impressed, detective Kitsune," Atalaya said and playfully punched his shoulder. "You should solve our cases more often."

"Only if ya ask nicely, sweetheart."

Roa finally seemed to snap out of his daze, and he turned his attention to Atalaya. "So now what do we do?" he asked.

"What do you think?" Atalaya stood up and braced both of her palms against the table, a wide smirk stretching her lips. "This is the perfect opportunity to get rid of all the Extermination Pirates!"

"You know there are going to be four captains with four crews on that island, captain," Lance said and drummed his fingers to the table.

"Yes," Atalaya said simply. "One for each and every one of us."

A deafening silence settled around the table, and Atalaya's smile became warm as she knew what they were thinking. "I have complete trust in you," she said. "I know you're capable of taking down far stronger enemies than the ones we're going to face."

All three of them nodded simultaneously, but Atalaya could see both Lance and Roa were not entirely convinced. "Kitsune, go raise the anchor, would you?" she asked, glaring as the man slowly dragged his feet out of the room.

"Alright." She turned back to the two others, a crease settling into her forehead. "What's eating the two of you?" she asked. When neither of them said anything, she sighed. "You've been fighting over a hundred pirates this morning, and you did that without worrying. So what scares you now?"

"Nothing _scares_ me," Roa growled, his eyes glued to the Eternal Pose on the table. "I'm just not sure I can fight someone close range. I'm an archer, you know?"

Atalaya nodded and turned to Lance with eyebrows raised in expectation.

"I have only every fought lesser pirates," the shipwright said, impressively managing to keep that sense of pride in his voice. "One on one battles are not one of my strengths. As far as I know."

"Well, then it's high time we make it one of your strengths," Atalaya said and clapped her hands together. "Okay, I don't know how long it'll take Atlas to reach Resteran Cove, but until we do, you two will be sparring against each other, non-stop."

The two exchanged a surprised glance. "Roa, create enough arrows for this practice, but leave out the arrowheads," Atalaya went on before either of them could speak. "You can fire arrows like that, right?"

"Can I- of course I can!" he said. "But why?"

"Well, since what you think you need to practice is firing arrows at someone close up, you'll be firing arrows at Lance. And I really don't want you to kill each other, so leave out the arrowheads, okay?"

Roa nodded, so Atalaya turned to Lance. "You'll have to create some sort of replicas for your trench knives," she said. "They have to be sharp enough to be able to cut through the arrows, but not so sharp they can cut through... well, cut through Roa. Sounds possible, yes?"

The shipwright nodded curtly, so Atalaya continued. "This way, you'll both get to train your speed, as well as precision and reflexes," she said. "And with those three attributes, I'm more than sure you'll be able to handle the captains we're about to face."

They seemed to consider these words, and both of them finally nodded. "Thanks," Roa said and stood up. "And sorry."

"Don't apologize," Atalaya grinned. "Neither of you have done anything wrong, so don't apologize for nothing."

Lance brought his hat to his chest and bowed his head as a gesture of gratitude. "Shall we set sail first?" he asked and headed for the door. "Or can you and Kitsune manage it on your own?"

"Eh... I think it's safer for Atlas if you help."

"Who's gonna steer?" Roa asked as they stepped out onto the deck.

"I am," Atalaya said, a chortle escaping her at the sight of Roa's skeptical expression. "Oh relax! I'll keep the Eternal Pose in front of me at all times, so there'll be no way I could go the wrong way!"

"If you say so."

Roa took his place behind the wheel to guide them out to open sea while Lance and Atalaya climbed up the masts and freed the sails. Atalaya found Kitsune up in the crow's nest, and she poked him in the neck to get his attention.

"Ah, sweetheart," he said, the nickname making her roll her eyes in dismay. "What were ya talkin' 'bout?"

"Encouragement," Atalaya said flatly.

"Ah. How come ya don't offer _me_ any of that?"

A sarcastic chuckle rolled through Atalaya's teeth. "If I ever learn how to encourage a heartless killer, you'll be the first on my list," she said. "Seems more like you're looking forward to this little detour."

"Aye." Kitsune's grin was almost dangerous as he stared out over the sea. "Even Hebi Kotei's yearnin' fer what we're 'bout ta do."

"Even your sword, huh..."

Atlas cringed as the ship set in motion, circling the lagoon once before heading out to open sea. Just as Atalaya was about to climb down, Kitsune gasped as if realizing something terrible.

"What's wrong?"

Kitsune turned to Atalaya with an almost crushed expression. "I never got ta destroy that ship," he said.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Does anyone remember when Atalaya promised Kitsune he could destroy the Extermination Pirates' ship? Either way, that's what Kitsune's talking about at the end._

_Maaan, I'm loving where this is going! And I hope you're feeling the same way!_

_Quick notice! This saturday, I'm traveling to Florida for two weeks! Worry not, I'll keep updating as usual, but since the difference in the time zones is 7 hours, my schedule will be a little different than usual. So don't freak out if I post extremely early/late!_

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	65. Results of training!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode sixty five – Results of training! Closing in on the enemy base!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

For over four hours straight, Roa and Lance kept up their sparring on the middle of the deck. Atalaya kept a close eye on them both, making sure neither went too far, but from what she could see, both of them had prepared perfectly for a sparring like this.

Roa had spent half an hour carving new arrows, ones with blunt arrowheads. Getting his by one of those would surely sting, but no possible wound could be created by them.

Not that they even would've gotten the chance to harm Lance. The shipwright's speed had increased significantly, and his reflexes almost seemed to go haywire. Every arrow Roa fired at him he parried or dodged completely. Only when the archer used Arrow Storm and fired five arrows at one did Lance get hit.

Roa's movements had also improved. He dodged almost every swipe of the temporarily wooden trench knives, and every time Lance actually managed to get close, Roa countered with an arrow to the shipwright's forehead, making him stagger back and give the archer enough time to scurry away.

"They really look like they're enjoying themselves, right?" Atalaya smirked as she leaned over the wheel, her eyes focused on the duel.

"Must be easy ta go all out on someone ya 'hate'," Kitsune said and nodded. "I ain't sure either would be as serious if the opponent would be ye."

Atalaya scoffed and threw a quick glance at the Eternal Pose. "If they wouldn't fight me seriously, they'd get their asses kicked," she said and spun the wheel to the right. "But if you look at them closely enough, you can see they don't hate each other. They're both grinning like idiots."

"Oi oi, let the boys hate each other ta their hearts' content," Kitsune chortled. "They might just be smilin' out of bloodlust, ya know."

"Not everyone's like you, Kitsune."

Kitsune chuckled and turned his attention to the sky. The sunset had already begun, a red-ish hue spreading over the heavens.

"Hope we'll make it in time," Atalaya said, a crease appearing on her forehead. "According to the note, they're supposed to gather in only a couple of hours, and we don't know how long they all will be staying at the same spot."

"Ya worry too much, sweetheart," Kitsune sang, offering her one of his usual, smug grins. "Even if they _do_ leave before we get there, their leader's stayin' behind. If the leave, we'll kick the boss' ass, send a new note in his name, and they'll come flyin' back right inta yer arms."

With eyebrows raised in amusement, Atalaya shook her head and said, "You've really began planning ahead, haven't you?"

"A'course."

Atalaya sighed and turned back to the duel on deck. The two were still going strong, not showing even the slightest sign on fatigue. "I think they should stop now," Atalaya said and straightened up from her leaning position. "Hold the wheel, I'll go break them up."

"Aye, sweetheart."

She moved down the ladders and onto the deck, careful not to get too close to the battle nor get hit by any stray arrows. "Oi, you two!" she said loudly.

A flinch of surprise made Lance lose his concentration for half a second, and a wide grin appeared on Roa's face as he found his window of opportunity and fired an arrow straight between the shipwright's eyes.

The hit made Lance growl and take a few steps backwards, his right hand flying up to rub his sore brow. Roa completely ignored Atalaya and sprinted forward, kicking Lance in the back of the knee and making him fall backwards. Just as the shipwright hit the deck, Roa straddled his chest and nocked another arrow, aiming it at Lance's throat.

"I win, pretty boy," Roa growled, his shoulders rising and falling in rhythm with his heavy breathing.

"Without the distraction, you would be the one on your back!"

Atalaya chuckled and crouched down next to the two. "How harsh, calling me a 'distraction', Lance," she hummed, thoroughly enjoying the shipwright's flustered face.

"I- that was not at all my intention, captain!" Lance hurried to correct himself. He attempted to stand up so as to bow his head in apology, but the weight of Roa's body hindered him from doing so. When he failed to heave his upper body off the deck, he sighed dramatically before raising his right leg and none too gently kicking Roa in the back of the head.

"Move," he snapped and pushed the archer off his body.

"Good to see you're eager," Atalaya said when both of them had stood up straight. "But I think you're done for the day."

"Why?" Roa frowned and strapped the bow over his shoulder. "I wanna keep kicking his ass!"

To silence Lance even before he could retort, Atalaya made a hushing motion. "You have to rest," she said. "You two could probably keep going for many more hours, but I need you to be fully rested once we reach Resteran Cove, and since I have no idea when that'll be, I think you should play it safe and take a break now."

Roa brought a hand to the back of his head and nodded when he located a rapidly growing bump. "I'll go sleep in my room," he said and moved past them, scoffing as he saw Lance send him a cold smile. "Wake me if the weather changes."

"You too," Atalaya said and poked Lance's shoulder.

"As you wish, captain."

The shipwright kicked open the companionway and disappeared below deck and to the bunks. It took Atalaya more than a few seconds to notice the deck was covered with broken arrows and splinters of wood, but she dismissed the problem with a promise to make the two responsible pick up every single piece later.

"Keep a steady course," she said as she took her seat on the ship rail. "I'll keep watch from the crow's nest when the sun sets completely."

"Think ya can see anythin' from up there, sweetheart?" Kitsune jingled, looking very out of place as he casually hung over the wheel.

"Sabertooth tigers can see in the dark, you know."

"Ah, right ya are."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The moon had already risen high in the sky when Atalaya finally spotted light at the far end of the horizon. She quickly cracked open the spyglass and focused on the island, a wide grin appearing on her lips as she counted four pirate ships tied to the docks.

Resteran Cove seemed to consist of only an oddly shaped mountain. The source of light came from two large openings in the middle of the mountain, the effect making the holes look like huge eyes with fire as pupils.

Atalaya crawled out of the crow's nest and moved down to onto the terrace. "Go wake up Roa and Lance," she said and replaced Kitsune's hold at the wheel. "We'll be landing in a few minutes."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Nice cliffhanger for the weekend, no?_

_Just a reminder that I'll be traveling to Florida tomorrow, which means posting hours will shift a little from the usual routine. No biggie, they'll still be posted._

_Have a nice weekend, and until monday, fare thee well!_


	66. Locate the enemies!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode sixty six – Locate the enemies! Inside the mountain of Resteran Cove!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Nothing but silence greeted Atalaya as she soundlessly leaped off Atlas and onto the docks. She twisted her head to the sides, growling lowly as the enemy ships cast suspicious shadows all over the area.

Lance and Kitsune worked together to drop the anchor without letting it make any noise. They lowered it into the water inch by inch, fully releasing only when every part of it was safely beneath the surface.

"Move quietly," Atalaya mumbled as Roa strode past her. She crouched down next to Atlas and secured two safety lines to the poles before hurrying after the archer.

They moved over the grassed land, careful not to step into the light of the moon. Atalaya could neither hear nor smell anything out of the ordinary, but the atmosphere left her with an eerie feeling of being constantly watched.

As they moved closer to the mountain, Atalaya's ear caught the sound of someone shouting. She looked up, quickly locating the source coming from one of the holes in the mountain. The voice was deep and hoarse, as if the owner had been struck by a flu.

"Roa," Atalaya mumbled and motioned for the archer to come closer. "You're good at climbing, right?"

Roa nodded, so Atalaya turned around and pointed up at the closer of the two openings. "Think you could climb up there and see what it looks like, how many we're up against?" she asked.

"Right." Roa made sure his bow was securely strapped around his shoulder, and without making a sound, he dashed across the small lawn between their hiding place and the mountain.

He instantly found a perfect route up the steep wall. In the forest around his old home, he had trained day and night how to climb trees, and even now, in the dark, he could see all the small cracks and dents in the rocky wall.

It didn't take Roa more than a few minutes to reach the large opening. Now more than ever did he wish he'd own a dark hat, seeing as his blonde hair could give him away if someone would glance in his direction. He braced his legs against the mountain wall, and after inhaling deeply a few times, he peeked over the edge.

He didn't dare rise too high, so he could only see a small part of the room. A seemingly enormous cave resided within the mountain, and from what Roa could see, the cave had been renovated into the perfect base.

A throne had been carved out from the mountain wall, the seat currently occupied by a man, by far the largest man Roa had ever seen.

"The leader..."

Messy dark green hair, almost non-existent, small eyes and a pointy nose gave the man quite an amusing look. His neck seemed to function only as a bearer for over ten golden chains. Heavily jeweled rings and bracelets covered his arms, and Roa could swear he even saw a few golden teeth.

"Where is Marbray?!" the man shouted and slammed his fist into the armrest of his throne. "He was supposed to get here over two hours ago!"

"Marbray," Roa repeated silently. "The captain Atalaya defeated."

He didn't have enough patience to watch the big man throw a tantrum, so he quickly navigated back to the base of the mountain.

"The leader's in what seems to be a throne room," he said when he reached Atalaya. "I'm guessing the other captains are with him as well."

"And their crews?"

"I couldn't see them," Roa said. "They'd have seen me if I'd climbed any higher. But the room was completely silent apart from the captains, so I think the others must be in another room."

Atalaya nodded and looked around. She could hear the leader's ramble from here, but apart from that, the island was silent. "Okay, let's try to find the entrance," she whispered and started prowling along the mountain base.

They didn't have to move far before spotting the entrance. The ceiling hung low and cracked, its shape oddly similar to disfigured teeth.

"Wait." Atalaya raised a hand to stop the rest and she perked her ears as she could've swear she'd heard something move from inside the entrance. "Someone's standing just inside," she mumbled. "Think you can take them out, Roa?"

"I can't shoot what I can't see," the archer frowned.

Atalaya sighed and looked around, humming in content as she found a perfectly sized rock. "This should do," she said and picked it up, aimed it at the ground by the opening and threw it.

"What do you think you're-"

"Be ready!"

Barely had Roa gotten his bow prepared before four pirates with gruff expressions came striding out from the entrance, each with his weapon raised and ready to strike. They twisted and turned around, mumbling to one another as they tried to locate where the sound had come from.

A wave of irritated muttering flowed past Roa's lips as he braced four arrows at once. A wide grin settled on Atalaya's lips as she caught the word 'irresponsible', a grin that widened significantly as each and every one of the arrows hit its target. The four pirates fell, and after staying hidden for a minute longer, just in case someone would come out to check on the guards, Atalaya and her crew hurried over to the entrance.

"I can hear the leader from all the way over here," she whispered as they sneaked inside. A long corridor ending with a large door lay presented to them. No other guards were visible, so they moved soundlessly along the narrow hall, cautious to not kick a rock or step on something that could reveal them.

Once they reached the door, Atalaya pressed the side of her head flat to the thick wood. "He's speaking with one of the other captains," she breathed out as quietly as she could. "I can't hear anybody else."

"The other captains must be wise enough to keep quiet whilst the leader speaks," Lance mumbled.

"But what about the crew members?" Atalaya wondered. "I can't hear them."

"Like I said, they might not be in this room," Roa said and shrugged. "This could be a gathering for captains only. The crews could be in some other part of the cave, bidding their time until their captains return."

Now convinced, Atalaya took a step back from the doors. "Alright then, gentlemen," she said and widened her stance. "Ready for whatever may await us at the other side of these doors?"

When all three of them nodded, she spun around once and planted her heel into the exact middle of the double doors. They flew open with a deafening crash, and a spark of confidence rushed through Atalaya's body as she imagined the shock the action must've caused.

That confidence died the very next second, when she got a clear view of what exactly had been located on the other side of the doors. Not only were they greeted by four captains and the leader, but close to five hundred pirates now stood with their heads turned in their direction, all wearing extremely threatening expressions.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_I'm posting this in a hurry, going to the beach here in Florida in about five minutes, and I won't be back in a while, so I'm uploading this now._

_Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	67. The leader enters!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode sixty seven – The leader enters! Introduce the four captains!**

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The silence that stretched on told Atalaya the only reason complete chaos hadn't broken out yet was because of the overwhelming surprise of a small group of four pirates interrupting a meeting between five hundred.

Although their situation was very close to critical, Atalaya couldn't help but feel smug as her eyes landed on the leader, who looked like he'd just had a minor heart attack. His eyes were wide open, his arms raised comically as if he was going to dive into water.

"You're the leader of the Extermination Pirates?" Atalaya asked loudly. She ignored Roa's quiet protest and took a few steps into the enormous room, her lips curling back into a snarl as some of the pirates closest to her unsheathed their weapons. "Answer me!"

"Provokin' 'em ain't such a good idea at the moment, cap'n," Kitsune hummed from behind her, his voice all but giving away his impatience.

Atalaya pretended as if she hadn't heard him and kept her eyes focused on the leader, who finally lowered his arms and stood up from his throne. His size was out of the ordinary. Probably close to ten feet tall, he made the other four captains look like little children. "Why do you want to know?" he growled.

"I need to know if it's _your _ass I came here to kick."

A few seconds' crushing silence followed these words before all five hundred pirates broke out into laughter. Although feeling more and more provoked, Atalaya still didn't turn her glare away from the leader, who didn't seem to find her words entertaining at all.

"Silence!" he roared, and the laughter instantly died out. A quiet "Oh." passed Atalaya's lips as she realized why she hadn't heard anyone else before; these pirates were too afraid of their leader to dare even breathe in his presence. Although she still couldn't dismiss the thought that her ears should've picked up their voices.

"You're foolish, coming here in the middle of our gathering," he said and gestured towards the crowd, snapping Atalaya out of her thoughts. "Four captains with their crews. And we're waiting for the fifth one to appear."

"I doubt he will be attending tonight," Lance called, not a shred of uncertainty in his voice.

"How so, tch?" one of the captains demanded.

"Marbray, was it, is laying in a pile of rubble on Kanran-sha Island," Roa said, his fingers repeatedly tightening and loosening around his bow. "Beat to a pulp, not likely to get up anytime soon."

The leader's expression darkened and he bared his teeth in rage, letting Roa count up to five golden teeth. "You did that to him?" he shouted, raising a hand to point at Atalaya.

"I did," she snarled and bared her teeth as well, the effect more theatrical seeing as her canines grew longer and sharper. "And now I'm here to take down the rest of you!"

Finally, the leader seemed to find amusement in her words. He threw back his head and laughed, his voice echoing through the cave. "Foolish bravery!" he called out to the room. "You challenge _me_, Van Rosheer, directly appointed captain of the Extermination Pirates by none other than Blackbeard himself?" He paused to point at each of the four captains. "You challenge _them_, who have wiped out over thirty aspiring crews since the beginning of our noble cause?"

"I challenge all of you, every single pirate in this room!" Atalaya roared in return. "Every one of them, who have aided in the destruction of dreams of over thirty aspiring pirate crews, as well as _you_ who are responsible for killing someone I would've wanted to live on!"

A wild grin flashed over Van Rosheer's face and he sat back down. "Well then," he said. "My fellow captains, introduce yourselves!"

The captain closest to him nodded and turned to face the Saber Pirates. His short black hair stood up in spikes all over his head, and his broad figure indicated he'd spent quite some time in battle. "I'm Bordania," he said and unsheathed a broad sword, raising it to point at the roof. "Captain and master swordsman of the Extermination Pirates!"

A loud cheer rose from the part of the crowd that obviously consisted of his followers, but the noise didn't last for long. The second captain raised a hand, and everyone fell silent as if their voices had disappeared. "My name is Gerosse," he said and ran a hand through his long dark hair, his quiet voice echoing over the silence. "Captain and master magician of the Extermination Pirates."

Silence followed this statement, so the third captain cleared his throat. "Mine's Kai, tch!" he said and stuck a thumb into his chest, swelling with pride. "Captain and master mechanic of the Extermination Pirates, tch!"

A loud roar exploded from his crew, and he smirked in satisfaction as he saluted them with a lazy wave of the hand. Finally, when the noise had settled, the fourth and final captain reached behind his back and adjusted the large spear that was strapped along his back. His eyes were emerald green, the color even more intense in contrast with his light grey hair. "Meteor," he shouted, his crew practically hollering in delight as their captain finally got to introduce himself. "Captain and close combat master of the Extermination Pirates!"

Atalaya waited patiently for the cheering to die down, and when it did, she inhaled deeply and demonstratively cracked her knuckles. "I'm Atalaya," she said almost casually. "Captain of the Saber Pirates."

She looked at Kitsune with eyebrows raised in expectation, and after sighing, he took a step forward. "Name's Kitsune," he jingled, his smirk mile-wide. "First mate an' swordsman of the Saber Pirates."

Roa groaned as he felt Atalaya's eyes practically burn holes into the side of his head. "Roa, navigator and archer," he said curtly.

Lance politely removed his hat, brought it to his chest and performed one of his perfect bows, ignoring Roa's irritated groan. "I am Lance," he said as he straightened up. "Proud mechanic and shipwright under captain Atalaya."

Van Rosheer's smirk grew, and he observed them for a moment before slamming his fist into the armrest of his throne. "Give me a show I can enjoy!" he yelled.

The four captains nodded simultaneously and raised their voices at the same time to shout, "Charge!"

All hell broke lose as the enemy pirates cried out all at once and began charging towards the four. Atalaya didn't even get enough time to send her crew an encouraging glance before she was forced to dodged an incoming swing of a spiked mace.

She covered her body with fur and jumped up high, bracing her right arm to release the rage inside of her in the form of an attack. "Claw Cannon!" she screamed, growling in satisfaction as several pirates were thrown back by the current she had triggered.

The second she landed she thought she was going to get trampled to death. The number of enemies was overwhelming, but she pushed such thoughts away and spun around with her arms extended, momentarily forcing the surrounding pirates away from her.

She caught a quick glance of Roa, who was succeeding in keeping his distance from any approaching pirate. He fires arrows so rapidly Atalaya couldn't even keep up with his pace, and each arrow he fired seemed to have its own special effect.

"Poison arrow," he growled and nocked an arrow, waiting until a charging pirate was close enough before adding, "Crippling Shot!", and firing.

The arrow only swiped the approaching pirate's arm, but he instantly dropped to his knees, coughing and wheezing as if his throat was closing up. The arrow had shot straight past him and buried itself into another pirate's shoulder, making said pirate fall over and lie motionless on the ground, unable to move his limbs.

"This had better work, pretty boy," Roa grit out as he braced one of the electrically charged arrows. He found a spot in the crown clear from friendlies, and fired. The second the arrow landed, the pirates closest to it began trembling uncontrollably, and Roa shivered as he realized a strong electrical current was traveling through their bodies, most likely frying them completely.

Speaking of Lance, the shipwright had a hard time moving around due to the constant waves of pirates that came charging after him. He managed to somehow move through the crowds, his knives doing a magnificent job at cutting down anyone in his path, but every time he had to dodge or parry, he cursed as his train of though was broken and he had to interrupt the flow of his attacks.

"There's a tad too many of them, captain!" he shouted as he hopped to the left to avoid being cut in half at the same time as he impaled the closest standing enemy.

"I know there is!" Atalaya called back as she darted past a wall of pirates, moving on all four. "Where's Kitsune?"

The answer came seconds later, when a flash of white caught her eyes. Kitsune was in the middle of a vicious sword fight with five other pirates, their swords moving faster than the eye allowed to see.

"They're forcin' us inta a corner," Kitsune stated gleefully, and Atalaya came to a halt as she realized he was right. She, Lance and Kitsune were slowly being pushed towards Roa, who stood with his back towards the mountain wall.

It didn't take more than two minutes before Van Rosheer's voice reached over the crowds. "At ease," he called, the pirates instantly freezing and falling quiet. Atalaya growled as around four hundred swords were pointed directly at her, the enemies forming a neat half-circle around her and her crew, who now stood with their backs to the wall with no way to escape.

"Well now, weren't you supposed to come here and kick my ass?" Rosheer wondered, a smug chuckle rolling through his teeth. "I must admit myself disappointed, _Sabertooth_ Atalaya."

"Who said I was done yet?" Atalaya snarled and slammed her teeth together, the crunching sound making some of the enemy pirates shiver. "Send out whoever you think is strong enough to take me down!"

Van Rosheer's grin vanished and was replaced by a sneer. "You really need to learn when to stop," he said darkly. "Kill them!"

The excruciatingly loud cheer made Atalaya's ears curl back, and a forced smile crawled over her lips. "Sorry for dragging you guys into this," she said and offered her crew a quick bow of the head.

"What're you saying, that you think we're gonna die?" Roa scoffed and braced for the incoming attack. "Don't get your hopes up high, captain."

Lance nodded in agreement and raised his weapons. "These pirates are not nearly enough to inflict damage on us," he said.

The smile on Atalaya's lips turned warm, and with a sizzling feeling in her chest, she turned back to face the enemy army. "Alright, let's give them something something to cry about," she grinned.

"Yer all way too positive."

Atalaya turned around to give Kitsune a piece of her mind, but her eyes widened as she realized he was leisurely stepping towards the rapidly approaching crowd, his smile more determined than Atalaya had ever seen.

She stared at him, speechless, until he sighed and raised his voice again, his words snapped her out of her daze.

"I would'a preferred ta never use it again... Can't believe ya actually got me ta do this, _sweetheart_."

"What're you-"

Atalaya's breath caught in her throat as she watched Kitsune's body grow larger, his already pale skin becoming even whiter. Several long, white tails came into vision from underneath the blood red kimono, and as he parted his lips to sigh, Atalaya saw a set of sharp teeth had replaced what little human features he had left. He shook his head, exposing long and furry ears, and his expression was dark, filled with hatred and loathing as he raised an arm to observe his own, claw-equipped hand.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Dun dun duuuun!_

…

_Oh sh*t, what the hell is happening here?! What's Kitsune doing?! Oh sh*t! I'm too excited!_

_Extra special long episode for you today, guys! I had such a hard time cutting this episode in half, I decided to make it extra long. Aren't I nice? Excuse any spelling errors, I was so eager to post this I didn't scan through it properly... I'll update it on my own if I find any errors._

_Please do tell me if you flipped out more reading this than I did when I wrote this, because I went completely ape-sh*t bananas. Yes I did._

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	68. The tides turn on the battlefield!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode sixty eight – The tides turn on the battlefield! Power of the Nine-tailed Fox!**

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Everybody in the room halted to observe Kitsune's transformation, an almost crushing silence hanging in the air. Atalaya, Roa and Lance had all lowered their guards completely, their eyes wider than ever before as they stared at Kitsune.

Nine long, thick and fluffy tails stood curled up against his back, the bright white color almost shining in contrast to the deep red of his kimono. Hebi Kotei hung loosely in his hand, and Atalaya couldn't help but shiver as she noticed his smile had gone, only to be replaced by an almost disgusted sneer.

"Kitsune," she breathed out. "You... you have a-"

"'S one of the legendary Zoan Fruits," he said curtly, his voice cold as ice. "Inu Inu no mi, model Nine-tailed Fox."

Atalaya's jaw fell to the floor, her expression mirrored on Roa, Lance and the rest of the people in the large room. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "Why didn't you tell _us_?"

"We ain't got the time fer that right now," Kitsune said snappishly and raised Hebi Kotei to his lips. "Four hundred enemies waitin', cap'n."

He locked his teeth around the hilt and lowered himself to all four, letting his transformation turn him completely into a fox. He stood still for a moment, calmly observing his enemies before lowering his head and jingling, "Nine-tailed Fox Dance."

As if in slow motion, Atalaya watched how each of Kitsune's nine tails turned outwards, the tips suddenly looking sharp as spears. Just like with his Fox Dance, Kitsune vanished for half a second only to reappear in the middle of the sea of enemies, every pirate between him and Atalaya falling to the ground.

The second his red eyes locked with her yellow, Atalaya's shock vanished and was replaced by a new burning determination. "Roa and Lance, charge!" she shouted and threw herself at the closest enemy just as a mechanic arrow passed high over her head, the following explosion echoing throughout the cave and distracting several of the pirates in front of them.

Encouraged by Van Rosheer and the captains, the sea enemies quickly rose to meet the Saber Pirates. "Four hundred against four!" Rosheer cheered. "Crush them to dust!"

A growl erupted from deep in Atalaya's throat as she smashed in the face of a pirate to her left, her eyes not wavering from Rosheer for more than a few seconds at the time. A wide smile was stretching his face, and even though his comrades were falling, he seemed to enjoy the ongoing fight as much as a roman would enjoy a gladiator game.

Atalaya planted her knee into the stomach of a pirate in front of her, and before he could fall, she braced her right leg on his chest and used him as leverage to jump higher. She pulled her hands back in mid-air and triggered another Claw Cannon, the current creating a small opening in the sea of enemies. She landed on all four and instantly shot forward, slamming her forehead into an enemy's, the impact sending the pirate flying backwards and knocking several others off their feet.

A heavy explosion almost made Atalaya lose her balance, and as she crouched down to avoid having her shoulder pierced by a bullet, she twisted her head and located Roa, standing straight in a wide empty circle in the sea of pirates. His face looked somewhat charred, and a silent chuckle escaped Atalaya when she realized the archer had fired five explosive arrows simultaneously, the effects a bit more destructive than expected.

Roa coughed and reached behind himself, making sure his long braid hadn't been damaged by the explosion before looking at Atalaya and firing a regular arrow straight in her direction. She didn't even flinch as it passed only an inch from her cheek, a loud thud informing her that Roa had just wiped out someone who had attempted to charge at her from the behind.

"Is everything as it should be, captain?"

Lance had appeared next to Atalaya, over thirty pirates chasing after him. Without waiting for an answer, he planted his heels into the ground and dashed directly towards his pursuers, his knives raised and ready for attack. "Knife Tango," he said and gracefully moved through the crowd, each pirate he passed getting cut down.

After sending the shipwright a brief nod, Atalaya whirled around and thrust the heel of her hand into an enemy's face, the sound of a nose breaking sending goosebumps down her spine. As she raised her chin and crushed a sword between her teeth, she caught a fleeting glance of Kitsune.

He had retracted enough of his ability to appear as a human, apart from the tails and fur. His tails seemed to have a mind and eyes of their own, seeing as every time a pirate got too close to Kitsune's back or side, one of the many tails reacted and instantly stabbed the assailant. He fought with Hebi Kotei, completely ignorant to the fact he could've used his claws as well. A slight frown flashed over his face every time one of his tails passed his line of sight, and Atalaya got the strong feeling he wasn't too fond of his ability.

A rush of adrenaline flowed in her veins as she realized less than half of the enemies remained. She caught a glimpse of the four captains, their expressions growing more and more threatening for every crew member that fell.

Van Rosheer looked like he was ready to explode at any moment. He was tugging at the golden chains around his neck in frustration, his shining teeth revealed in a snarl. "What are you doing?!" he shouted and repeatedly struck the armrest of his seat. "Captains, your crews are not succeeding! _Do something_!"

The mental image of an overgrown child passed before Atalaya's eyes, and the panic in Rosheer's voice made her ears twitch in annoyance. "Why don't you fight me yourself?" she growled and elbowed an enemy in the ribs. "See if you're less pathetic than these pirates!"

Rosheer parted his lips to retort, but he changed his mind and equipped a provocative smile. "The king waits by his throne," he said and sighed dramatically as he adjusted one of his golden chains. "If you can't even reach me, how can you possibly hope to defeat me?"

"You asked for it, bastard!" Atalaya ducked down and burst forward, fully transforming into a tiger. She darted through what remained of the army, her heartbeat steadily rising as she got closer to the throne and her target.

When she broke out of the line of enemies, she used the momentum of her speed to jump up high, her eyes focused solely on Van Rosheer's face. "Fight me now!" she shouted and morphed back into a human in mid-air, her right arm going back to brace for an attack. "Claw-"

Before she could finish her sentence, let alone trigger an attack, Meteor appeared in front of her. "You can't skip to the ending, stray cat," he said and swung his spear, the blunt side crashing into Atalaya's chest and knocking the air out of her lungs. She was thrown back and slammed into the ground, the impact jarring her off the ground once more, but she managed to twist her body in mid-air and land on all four.

"Bastard," she scowled once she finished coughing, her fingers harshly rubbing her collarbone and the still fresh scar. "Stay out of my way!"

"Make me," Meteor retorted, laughing as Atalaya had to perform a ridiculous pirouette to avoid being cut by another pirate from the behind.

Atalaya slammed her fist against her assailant's jaw and glanced over her shoulder, her heart doing a backflip as she saw only about twenty of the four hundred pirates were still standing. With a confident smirk, she turned back to Van Rosheer, who looked just about ready to tear his golden chains apart.

"Alright," Atalaya said and focused on Meteor. "I'll make you."

She broke off the ground, but before she could even get halfway to her target, she caught movement from the corner of her eye. She skidded to a stop and jumped aside, Bordania's large sword missing her cheek with only a few inches. "You challenged us as well," Bordania growled, the loss of his crew making him see red.

A low snarl was all that had the time to leave Atalaya's lips before her instincts kicked in and made her duck. A long, thin sword passed where her head had been a few moments ago, and she quickly hurried back, clicking her teeth in annoyance as she saw Gerosse stand a few inches from where she had stood just now.

"You dodged," he said, waving the needle-thin sword around.

Atalaya's eyes were wide as she stared at the slender man. She hadn't heard anything, her ears hadn't caught the sound of footsteps at all. The silence around him was unnatural.

Before she could question this oddity, she felt another looming presence behind her. She whirled around and raised her hands just in time to parry the large hammer that came flying towards her from above.

The weight of the hit made the ground beneath her feet crack. With the weight of the hammer pushing her down, she widened her stance and urged forth as much strength her ability provided. "Get... _off_!" she grit out and threw the hammer to the side.

She quickly backed away, grounding her teeth together as she glared at Kai, who retorted with an impressed smirk. "You can parry my hammer, tch," he said. "Good job, tch."

Atalaya didn't answer. She looked over her shoulder, growling as she realized she was surrounded, one captain coming closer from every direction. "Great," she hissed, her brain quickly trying to work out who to parry first in order to survive.

In the last second, she decided to face Meteor and his spear. She caught it between her hands, groaning as she forced it backwards. The grin on Meteor's face grew feral, and as he put all his strength into pushing down Atalaya, he chuckled darkly and said, "Good bye, stray cat."

Even as the other three captains were already only a few feet away from her with their weapons raised and ready to strike, Atalaya responded with a lopsided smile. "You think you've beaten _us_?" she asked, and just as Gerosse's sword was about to pierce the skin on her waist, an arrow came flying out of nowhere and hit the thin blade, sending it off course and far to the side.

Bordania's broad sword was parried by Kitsune, who no longer had any features of his Devil's Fruit form left. He stood with one hand hanging loosely by his side, the other gripping Hebi Kotei's hilt and holding back the full weight of Bordania and his sword, his usual smile once again stretching his lips.

Behind Atalaya, Lance had taken on Kai and his hammer, using both of his knives to hold back the weight of the heavy weapon. The contact emitted a screeching sound every time either of them moved, but neither backed away, the mere thought ridiculous to both of them.

Gerosse quickly backed away as another arrow came flying towards him, this time aimed at his neck. Roa stepped up next to Atalaya, a new arrow nocked just in case necessary. The archer looked furious as he glared at the slender man with more murderous intent than he'd ever shown Lance.

"Like I said." Atalaya heaved in a mouthful of air and released it in a roar as she pushed Meteor's spear back, the motion making Meteor himself stagger. "You think you've beaten us?" she asked again and straightened up.

The large room had fallen silent, over four hundred unmoving bodies piled up against the walls. Van Rosheer's gaze slowly traveled over the room, his lips pressed together so hard the skin around his mouth had turned white. "My underlings," he pressed out. "Worthless, useless, but my underlings all the same."

He finally parted his lips again, blood instantly rushing to the deprived veins and making his lips look double their normal size. "Captains," he said loudly, "Take your places!"

The four captains equipped identical grins and quickly stepped back and to the sides, forming a line from one side of the room to the other. "You're not done with me yet," Atalaya spat out and followed Meteor, sprinting up to take her stand in front of him once more.

Kitsune, Lance and Roa all followed her example and moved to the sides so they all stood face to face with their chosen opponents. For a second, everything was quiet, and then, Van Rosheer reached down to the base of the throne and pressed down a button Atalaya hadn't noticed before.

The floor began rumbling and split open, three thick walls rising from the ground and up towards the cave ceiling. The walls separated each of the four captains along with the Saber Pirates, Atalaya remaining the only one who still had Rosheer in her sights.

"Kitsune!" she called as the walls stopped moving, only a couple of feet from the ceiling. "Roa! Lance!"

"What'cha shoutin' 'bout, cap'n?"

Atalaya couldn't help but chuckle at Kitsune's happy-go-lucky tone. "When you're done with your opponents, go search for the locals of Kanran-sha Island!" she shouted, loud enough for them all to hear. "Never mind if anyone of us is still fighting, go find the prisoners and free them!"

A few seconds passed before she heard the approving responses, and with a casual smile, she turned back to Meteor. "You say that as if you think you stand a chance against us," he said and slammed the blunt end of the spear into the ground.

"Aye." Atalaya widened her stance and leaned forward, sending a smoldering glare at Van Rosheer before focusing on Meteor. "I won't lose, even if it kills me," she said and tantalizingly beckoned her finger. "If you think you're ready for me, en garde!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Huge thanks to all my reviewers! They really increased with the last episode, and though I might not have time to reply to them all right now, I still read and love them! Thanks, you guys!_

_I'ma go ahead and answer the question of an anonymous guest review; No, Lance is not Franky's son. Absolutely not! I can see how it would be a popular belief, since his hair is blue as well, but Lance's hair is much much darker than Franky's. Also you need to remember this story takes place during the two-year time skip, and since Lance is in his twenties, Franky would've been like... 15 years old when conceiving him. Which is just... no. We'll never meet Lance's father in this series, though I think you can still figure out who it is._

_**Notice!** I've got some bad news for you. As you know, I'm on vacation at the moment, and I decided I won't post any episodes until I get back home. I'm not getting any writing done here, so I'm not gonna post. I know I'm leaving it at a sucky place, but it can't be helped. The next episode will be posted monday 29th of april._

_Until then, fare thee well, my lovelies!_

_**Quick update**, since I think this is gonna be quite the conversation starter; I have never read Naruto. I vaguely know it's about ninjas, but I wasn't even aware there was such a thing as a nine-tailed fox in that story until one of my friends told me, and by that time, I had already written this part. Of course, you don't have to believe anything I say, but honestly, do you really think that I, while trying to write a _completely original_ One Piece story, would go ahead and copy ideas from another manga/anime/story? This story is my pride and joy, solely because all new characters I present to the One Piece worlds are made up in my mind, completely original. Saying I copied Kitsune's fruit from Naruto is like saying... saying I copied Atalaya's fruit from Ice Age!... That sabertooth tiger was from Ice Age, yes? Either way! I wouldn't put in a detail that will play a big part in the rest of the story if it wasn't my own._

_Thanks for listening to my rambling. Have a nice night._


	69. Kitsune versus Bordania!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode sixty nine – Kitsune versus Bordania! Power or precision?**

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Kitsune leisurely swung Hebi Kotei back and forth as he listened to the sounds of the others begin their battles. His attention was placed on everything except Bordania, who followed his every move with intense focus, and regardless of Kitsune's casual state, the atmosphere between them was compact, thick enough to be cut with a knife.

"You think you can beat me just like that?" Bordania finally asked and pointed his sword at Kitsune. "I'll beat you in your Devil's Fruit form, so you go right ahead and bring it out."

"I think not," Kitsune smirked. "That... _thing_'s only fer emergencies, and this ain't one."

Offense mixed with rage settled in Bordania's features, and he threateningly took a few steps closer. "You think that puny little katana stands a chance against _this_?" He lifted his sword to the ceiling, showing off the jagged edged and the broadness of the blade before swing it back down and pointing it at Kitsune. "This sword has tasted the blood of over five thousand foes, each drop making it more and more powerful!"

Kitsune's smile grew dangerous, and he slowly traced his fingers along the sharp blade of Hebi Kotei. "Strength ain't determined based on how much blood the blade has tasted, ya know," he said and pressed a little harder with his middle finger, not showing any signs of pain when a slit opened up on the fingertip. "'S determined based on how much blood the _wielder_ has tasted."

One single drop of blood had the time to fall onto the ground during the time it took Kitsune to reach Bordania. He thrust his sword up to meet Bordania's, the sound of the contact sending shivers down his spine.

The force of the blow made them both take a step back, but unlike Bordania, Kitsune didn't waste time waiting to regain his composure. With Hebi Kotei still quivering, he turned on the heel and struck Bordania's sword again. This time, Bordania was caught off guard and his blade was forced to the side, allowing Hebi Kotei to smoothly run along the jagged edge and finally settle in Bordania's upper arm.

The captain's heavy clothing made the cut shallow, but blood spilled either way. With a satisfied grin, Kitsune dodged Bordania's swing and quickly jabbed his free hand over the location of the cut, and he emitted a loud chortle as he jumped back, his hand now soaked in blood.

"Ya see?" he asked and raised his bloodied hand. "The one who drew yer blood just now was me, not Hebi Kotei."

Bordania growled at the logic, and he tentatively ran a hand over his wound, quickly dismissing the shallow cut with a smug smirk. "That little needle didn't even cut me deep enough to make me feel it," he cajoled. "_This_ is how a sword should cut!"

He lunged forward and swung the sword towards Kitsune's side. Kitsune raised Hebi Kotei to parry the incoming attack, but the sheer strength of Bordania's cut was too great. The second their swords connected, Kitsune was sent flying to the left, crashing into the rough mountain wall.

The crash itself didn't harm him apart from bruising his backside, but the momentum of Bordania's sword had moved as a current through the air and settled on Kitsune's right shoulder, leaving behind a heavily bleeding wound.

"You see?" Bordania laughed as Kitsune stood up straight and raised his injured hand up and down. "Compare our skills and weep, swordsman!"

"Arite." Kitsune took a few steps forward, the wide smile still set on his lips. "Ya rely only on strength, not precision at all," he said. "If ya want me to drop my sword, ya cut off my hand. Ya don't leave a wound in my shoulder."

"I've slowed down your movements!" Bordania roared. "You can't beat me with an arm like that, so just bring out your ability and give it your best shot!"

"Ya slowed down my movements?" Kitsune asked, mock confusion making its way to his features. "Ya sure? Arite, let me try somethin'."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Bordania sneered, his temper on the verge of boiling over. "Announcing your attack is the most-"

"Fox Dance."

Bordania's eyes widened as Kitsune vanished from his sight, and his lips parted in a howl as he felt Hebi Kotei's blade press into the skin above his right hand, the hand that was holding the sword. The katana went all the way through, and when Kitsune appeared on the same spot as before, his sword was soaked in red.

"Yer right," he sighed and wiped Hebi Kotei off on his kimono, the blood blending in perfectly with the color. "I tried ta cut off yer arm completely, but like ya said, my arm moves slower."

A vein appeared on Bordania's forehead, a clear sign he was about to lose his mind to rage. He sounded like a bull as he inhaled deeply a few times, and Kitsune arched an eyebrow as he switched the large sword to his left hand.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm ambidextrous," Bordania chuckled darkly. "I can use both hands just as equally, so your little trick didn't have any effect whatsoever!"

Before Kitsune could even shrug, a loud explosion, followed by a scream, was heard from the other side of the separating wall. A satisfied grin appeared on Bordania's face. "That doesn't bode well for the rest of your crew!" he said, but his grin faltered slightly as he noticed Kitsune was still smiling, acting as if nothing shocking had just happened.

Silence stretched between them as Bordania kept staring at Kitsune with narrowed eyes. He searched for any sign of worry or concern, and he wouldn't even snap out of his daze when Kitsune raised his eyebrows in expectation.

"Yer not gonna say anythin'?" he asked after almost a full minute of silence, his head tilting just a bit to the side. "Do anythin'?"

"You don't seem too concerned about your crewmates or your captain," Bordania stated lowly. "Don't you care they're gonna die?"

"Not really." Kitsune's smile widened at Bordania's surprise. "I ain't got a care in the world fer who dies right now and who doesn't."

Confusion settled on the captain's face. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Kitsune, and after a few moments, he shook his head. "You're lying," he stated.

"Nah, I ain't lyin'," Kitsune sang. "I don't follow the cap'n coz I wanna find One Piece, or fer some sort of emotional bond."

"Then why?"

"Ta kill."

Barely had those words left his lips before he broke away from the ground. Bordania's reflexes kicked in when Kitsune was only a few feet away from him, and he quickly raised his sword to run it through Kitsune's throat.

An exhilarated sound left Kitsune's lips as he swung Hebi Kotei to meet the broad sword. The contact threw both swords off course, and Bordania growled in pain as he attempted to switch the sword to his right hand, failing to remember that hand was injured.

Kitsune took this lack of defense as an opportunity to spin around once and plant his katana's hilt in Bordania's ribs. It didn't have much effect, but the loud grunt Bordania emitted told him the strike had at least cracked one of the captain's ribs.

"You bastard!" Bordania stood up straight faster than Kitsune's mind could process, but he still managed to avoid Bordania's sword by throwing himself down on the ground.

Using the momentum of his fall, Kitsune did a backwards somersault, pushed off the ground in the process and landed gracefully on his feet a good distance from where he'd just been standing. "Gettin' tired?" he asked tantalizingly.

"Don't mess with me, insect," Bordania spat out. "I'll make you use your Devil's Fruit powers if I so have to force you to!"

As if all the lights had been turned off, Kitsune's smile vanished completely. He stood perfectly still for a few seconds before raising his free hand and rubbing his forehead. "Yer gonna force me?" he asked coldly, all previous playfulness gone. "Force me ta use that thing?"

Bordania flinched as Kitsune lowered his hand, his eyes wide open. The blood red irises were trembling _oh_ so slightly, giving him quite an intimidating appearance. Hebi Kotei was locked in his hand in a vice grip, and even the blade seemed to rattle in fear.

Without giving even the sight of a warning, Kitsune sprinted forward, crossing the space between them in less than the blink of an eye. Before Bordania could even begin to raise his sword, Kitsune's mind was already processing where to strike. His focus settled on the captain's chest, and as Kitsune effortlessly dodged Bordania's sword, he forced Hebi Kotei through the right side of the captain's chest.

Pure shock ghosted over Bordania's face as he looked down, barely even reacting as Kitsune withdrew the katana and stepped back to observe as he clutched to his chest in a failed attempt to close the wound again. The color of his face slowly began to drain, almost perfectly in time with the deep red stain on his clothes spreading.

Kitsune stood still, his breath leaving his lungs in sharp exhales even after Bordania had fallen. The sounds of the other battles were audible from the other side of the wall, but it took Kitsune almost three minutes before he finally could move again.

He shook his head roughly, the usual smile gracing his lips as his eyes fluttered close once more. "Find the locals, yeah?" he sang and sheathed Hebi Kotei. "Roger that, sweetheart."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Sorry for being a few hours late! My plane from Amsterdam to Finland got rescheduled, and I had to wait 7 hours at the airport... but I'm back now, and Race will return to its usual schedule._

_I know this episode will raise a _lot_ of question-marks about Kitsune and his ability, but have patience; the answers are coming! All in good time, all in good time._

_Alright! Glad to be back, and hope I still have some readers left!_

_Until wednesday, fare thee well, my lovelies!_


	70. Roa versus Gerosse!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode seventy – Roa versus Gerosse! Of perfect silence?**

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The silence in the room was unnatural as Roa stood with an arrow braced and ready to fire, his full attention placed on Gerosse. The man was too slender to be an adept swordsman, his pale skin and dark long hair indicating he'd only recently set out as a pirate. His waistcoat was completely undamaged, and his shirt and pants were without any form of filth.

The man in question stood a few yards away, the thin sword hanging loosely in his hand. His head was tilted to a bit to the side, and although Roa couldn't hear anything, he could've sword Gerosse's lips were moving.

"You got something to say?" Roa growled, the grip on his bow tightening.

Gerosse straightened his back and mouthed the word, "No.", to which Roa furrowed his brow in confusion. He parted his lips to speak, but before he could say anything, Gerosse rolled his eyes and clapped his hands together.

"There," he said, his voice set in a dull monotone. "You didn't hear me just now, correct?"

Roa didn't feel the need to grace the question with an answer, so Gerosse continued. "Try taking me down," he said tantalizingly, although the effect wasn't very impressive as his voice constantly stayed on the same key. "I dare you."

The extremely thin limit of Roa's temper shattered, and he emitted a feral snarl as he fired the arrow. It flew straight towards the captain, who raised his sword to parry the incoming artillery. The two weapons connected, but there was no sound to be heard. "What the hell..." Roa mumbled as he nocked a new arrow, this time an explosive one.

He instantly fired, and his eyes narrowed as he noticed Gerosse clapped his hands before dodging. The arrow shot past him, but as it buried into the ground and exploded, not even the tiniest of sounds reached Roa's ears.

"What did you do?" he demanded of Gerosse, who had slowed down a few feet away from the explosion. "Why can't I hear you?"

A deep sigh seemed to roll through Gerosse's teeth, and he clapped his hands together before speaking up. "You know what a Devil's Fruit is, right?" he asked, the monotone still set.

"Of course I do!"

"Muon Muon no Mi." Gerosse raised a hand to point at himself. "I ate the fruit of silence and became a Silencer."

Roa grit his teeth in frustration, realizing how it was possible he hadn't heard the sound of the four hundred pirates earlier. Not to mention Atalaya. "Silencer," he repeated. "Meaning you can make anything you want go quiet?"

"Correct," Gerosse nodded. "For example..." His eyes focused on his sword and he clapped his hands once more. Without even bothering to look at Roa, he repeatedly hit the tip of the sword to the ground. "See?" he asked and tilted his head to the side. "Nothing."

The complete lack of sound sent a cold shiver down Roa's spine. He could hear Gerosse just fine, but no sound was emitted as the sword connected with the ground. "Stop that," he growled. "It's creepy."

"It's not." Gerosse stopped what he was doing and started moving closer to Roa, who cautiously backed away, a new arrow nocked and prepared to fire at any second. "It's not creepy," Gerosse said. "It's magic."

He dodged under the arrow Roa fired at him and sprinted forward, his sword raised to strike. The improved reflexes Roa had gained from sparring with Lance made him react instantly. He nocked a new arrow on pure instinct, his mind barely even realizing what he was doing.

By now, Gerosse was too close to dodge the arrow completely. It swiped his inner arm as he jumped to the side in an attempt to avoid being hit, but the shallow cut wasn't nearly enough to make him back down. As he got close enough to the archer, he raised his left hand, and just as Roa was about to prepare a new arrow, he area became sealed in a smoke screen.

"What the hell?" Roa coughed, the smoke making his eyes fill with water. He twisted around, trying to find Gerosse, who had vanished into the smoke. "Show yourself, creep!"

"I'm a magician." Gerosse's voice came from behind him, but when he turned around, there was nothing there to be seen. "And a magician never reveals his tricks, right?"

"Cut that shit out," Roa snarled. "Can't you beat me fair and square?"

"I can. But what would be so magical about that?" Roa rolled his eyes, but his focus tightened significantly at the captain's following words.

"Let's see how well you can handle this trick."

A sudden presence to his side made Roa turn around, and as if in slow motion, he saw the faint shade of Gerosse clap its hands together, the grey eyes shining through the screen of smoke. Roa instantly fired an arrow, but as soon as the arrow left his hand, he froze.

He couldn't hear anything. The silence crushed against his ears, and even as he raised his own voice to speak, he couldn't hear a single thing. _I've gone deaf? _he thought, panic welling up in his veins. _He made me deaf?_

All of Roa's senses seemed to hyperventilate. He couldn't see one single thing in the heavy smoke, and he couldn't hear his own breath, not even his heart beating in his ears as it always did when he got worked up.

A sharp pain cut through his right leg and he quickly spun around, catching a fleeting glance of Gerosse before he vanished back into the smoke, his long sword dripping red. An inaudible growl rolled past Roa's lips as he looked down at his leg, where a needle-thin puncture wound ran straight through his thigh.

Roa inhaled a lungful of air and released it in a loud exclaim. Still, only silence greeted him. _That settles it,_ he thought and reached for a new arrow from his quiver. As he nocked it, he let his eyes flutter close, completely blocking out anything and everything his surroundings provided him with.

He steadied his breathing, inhaling and exhaling slowly. _Calm_, he thought, his muscles relaxing even as his bow was braced and ready to fire an electrically charged arrow. _Just like in the forests __back on Wayward Island_.

His surroundings suddenly seemed to be completely deprived of importance. _Instinct_, he thought, the mere word making his senses run on top speed. _Instinct of a predator, silently haunting the forest. Instinct of the prey, who suddenly gets the urge to-_ "Dodge!"

Although Roa couldn't hear it, he called out the last word as a looming presence appeared behind him. He whirled around and found himself face to face with Gerosse, the long sword quickly approaching the space between Roa's eyes. He grinned at the surprised expression on the captain's face and jumped to the side, feeling the blade place a shallow cut on his cheek before firing the arrow.

Gerosse's reflexes made him dodge, but the arrow still managed to swipe his right arm. An incredibly long second passed before his limb started trembling violently, the currents of electricity moving all the way up to his shoulder. His lips parted in a howl Roa couldn't hear, but the damage caused was clear.

The arrow had barely touched Gerosse's arm, and so the electric currents didn't spread further than up to the captain's shoulder. Roa braced a new arrow just as Gerosse vanished again, leaving behind nothing but the deafening silence.

Roa closed his eyes again, ready to repeat the calming process, but before he could even think the word 'calm', he felt a searing pain in his right arm. Another puncture wound had appeared on his skin, small drops of blood slowly making their way over his arm and to the ground.

He was forced to withdraw the arrow he had braced. His right arm began trembling each time he attempted to nock an arrow, the motion making it impossible to take aim at any object whatsoever. He scowled in annoyance, and just as he slid the arrow back into the quiver, his right leg was cut once more.

_Shit_, Roa thought as he placed his free hand over the fresh wound. _This is really getting on my nerves_. He ground his teeth together as a new cut appeared, this time on his shoulder. _Fine. Let's try out something new_.

With his arms and legs throbbing with pain, Roa strapped his bow over his shoulder and reached behind himself to withdraw three explosive arrows from his quiver. He let his hand hang loosely at his side as he waited, mentally preparing himself for what was about to happen.

The second Gerosse's sword appeared against his shoulder, Roa released a sound of triumph. He grabbed hold of the sword, ignoring the pain it caused his hand and looked over his shoulder, pleased to see Gerosse's eyes widen with shock. _Payback time, bastard_, Roa thought as he slammed the three explosive arrows into the captain's chest.

The explosion would've blinded him had he not squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to lessen the pain from the blow. The whole cave seemed to shake, and the impact of the explosion jarred Roa off the ground. Feeling as if his back had caught fire, he growled as he crashed into the ground, his sore skin practically screaming at the forceful contact.

"Shit, that was effective," he groaned, his eyes widening as he realized he could hear again. "This means..!" He jumped to his feet and looked around.

The explosion had made the smoke disperse, and in the middle of a small crater laid Gerosse. His clothes were badly burned along with his skin, and his sword lay a few feet away from him. The blade had melted and assumed a weird shape, giving it the least threatening appearance ever.

With a triumphant smirk, Roa dusted off his own clothes and stood up straight. "Victory is mine, creep," he said and twisted around, humming as he spotted an opening in the mountain wall. "Locals," he sighed. "Right."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Ahh, fighting scenes, how I love writing you..._

**_Important Notice!_**_ Alright. Race is slowly but surely approaching the one hundredth posted episode, and to celebrate the day when that happens, I'm not only gonna release the 100__th__ episode, but also the 101__st__; the Race for One Piece Special Talk Show! It'll be like your average late night talk show, only with every character from Race for One Piece as possible guests._

_Why am I telling you this?_

_Because this Special Talk Show will mostly revolve around a "Question and Answer" theme, and _you_, the readers, will provide me with the questions! You can ask personal questions of any character you want, you can ask me, the author, anything you want. Of course, there is no guarantee any of the characters will answer your questions honestly and without making a scene first. This episode is purely for humor, as well as to let you readers find out anything and everything you want to know about Race and its characters!_

_A few examples on questions to ask; "When are the Saber Pirates' crew members' birthdays?", "What is Commander Lash's favorite food?", "How did Lance and Mira meet?", anything you want!_

_There is no limit to how many questions one reader can ask, you can ask as many questions as you want! I can't promise I can fit all of your questions, but I'll try to take in as many as possible. Start thinking of questions as fast as possible so I can get started, okay?_

_That's one hell of an author's note! Before I start rambling non-stop, I'll wish you a merry end of the week, and until friday, fare thee well!_


	71. Lance versus Kai!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode seventy one – Lance versus Kai! Pride of a shipwright!**

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"So you're also a shipwright, tch."

Lance nodded politely, his knives hanging loosely at his sides as he observed Kai. The captain seemed extremely relaxed, the hilt of the large battle hammer resting on his broad shoulders. He was quite large, but wether that impression came from the thick layer of clothing he wore over his upper body or from the unsolved fact that he might've been extremely muscular was a mystery. His long and curly black hair reached all the way down to his shoulder blades, tied together at the very tip with a neat yellow ribbon. He kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other, humming a silent tune as he returned Lance's glare.

"You don't really look like one, tch," he stated, his eyes wandering from the decorated hat on Lance's head to the frills of his light purple suit.

"Believe me, sir Kai, you are not the first one to point that out," Lance sighed. "And you most certainly will not be the last."

Kai stopped moving, a wide smile appearing on his lips at the provocative choice of words. "Oh, I think you're wrong, tch," he chuckled and let his hammer drop from his shoulder and onto the floor, the ground almost quivering from the sudden weight. "I _will_ be the last one who ever pointed it out, tch!"

With those words he dashed forward, his speed shocking considering the fact that he was carrying the heavy hammer. Lance inhaled deeply and raised his knives, bracing himself to parry the weight of the strike.

As the hammer landed on his knives, Lance's feet seemed to almost sink into the ground. With a growl, he tilted the trench knives to the side, and the hammer slid down to the ground right next to him. He quickly moved to the side to avoid getting his foot flattened, and his eyes widened as he saw the hammer had created a large hole in the ground.

"You seem surprised, tch," Kai chortled, swinging the hammer around as if it would be as light as a feather. "For a _shipwright_, something like this doesn't weigh anything, tch."

"What are you insinuating?" Lance asked, a cold smile gracing his lips. "I have strength enough to parry that thing, unless you have failed to notice, and that alone should prove my strength worthy."

Kai threw his head back and released a bark of laughter. "You're a weird one, tch," he said once he sobered up. "Not only do you think too highly of yourself, you dress and speak like a noble, tch. And you know what?" he added, cackling like a maniac as he sprinted forward again, his hammer raised and ready. "I _hate_ nobles!"

Lance barely managed to dodge the swing, but the second the hammer hit the ground, it triggered a tremor strong enough to make him stagger. For one split second, he turned his attention down to the ground, and when he looked back up again, he was greeted by the face of the hammer.

The strike landed on his chest, knocking the air out of his lungs as he was sent flying, bouncing on the ground like a flat rock on water before slamming into the wall, the impact making him see stars.

"That was bloody painful," he hissed as he stood up and placed a hand to his chest, sighing as he could feel multiple cracks on his ribs. He swallowed repeatedly, trying to stabilize his breathing, but he ceased as he realized Kai was laughing.

"Feel that, tch?" the captain jingled. "This is the power of a weapon that has destroyed over fifteen ships along with their crews and captains, tch!"

Lance froze, his eyes widening even further. "You destroy ships?" he asked as loudly as his throbbing lungs permitted him to speak. "You, _a shipwright_, destroy ships someone has spent days, maybe even months working on?"

"Aye, tch!" Kai roared proudly, inhaling so deeply his chest seemed to expand. "Those tiny vessels sink after I pound one single hole into the deck. Pathetic, tch!"

The pain in Lance's chest suddenly seemed distant. A cold anger welled up inside of him as he listened to Kai ramble on about all the ships he'd ever had the pleasure of sinking.

"You are not worthy of being a shipwright, sir Kai," Lance said, and Kai instantly sobered up from his rambling. "A shipwright feels pain for every ship he sees sink."

He broke away from the ground and raised his knives to strike. The captain reacted too slowly and lance easily dodged the swing of the hammer. "And a shipwright does not take pride in the destruction of ships," he growled and spun around on the heel when he got close enough. "Chasse Step Slash!"

A crooked cut opened up on Kai's front, the wound running from the nape of his neck down to the side of his hip. The captain seemed to feel more shock than pain, and before Lance could back away, Kai raised his leg and kicked him in the chest.

Lance let escape a strangled groan as the pain in his chest accelerated. He staggered back, coughing weakly as he was beginning to really fear for his lungs. As he carefully massaged his chest, he suddenly became very much aware of the fact his hat had fallen off his head.

"Looking for this, tch?"

As his eyes landed on Kai, Lance's expression darkened. The captain was bouncing his hat up and down in his hands, a spiteful smirk on his lips. "You want it back, tch?" he asked tantalizingly. "If not, tch, maybe I should just..."

As if in slow motion, Lance watched his hat fall to the floor. The chuckle that rolled through Kai's teeth seemed oddly distant as the captain raised his hammer to destroy the most cherished object the shipwright possessed.

Without even thinking, Lance moved forward, the pain in his chest practically screaming in protest. He dropped his knives to the ground when he got close enough to his hat, and he closed his eyes as he leaned over it, his arms outstretched to shield it from any damage.

His knees gave in as the hammer slammed into his back, his bones threatening to break. The pain triggered an excruciating will to scream, but Lance pressed his lips together, knowing his voice would only serve to boost the captain's self esteem.

"You're crazy, tch," Kai said, sounding reluctantly impressed. "Just to save your hat, tch, you would sacrifice your spine?"

As the hammer left his back, Lance grabbed his hat and straightened up, his spine emitting several disgusting snapping sounds. With slightly trembling arms, Lance dusted off his hat and placed it on his head, moving back to avoid getting hit by another strike of the hammer.

"You move fast, tch," Kai stated as he leaned the hammer on his shoulder, once again assuming his leisure stance. "At least for someone whose upper body's just been broken, tch."

Lance didn't respond. He crouched down and picked up his knives, his chest throbbing as he stood up straight again. "May I ask you a question, sir Kai?" he asked. His tone was cold, but his voice sounded as if the speaker was tightly pressed up against a hard wall.

"What?"

"What is most precious to you in this world?"

Kai's eyebrows arched at the sudden question, and he was silent for only five seconds before snorting. "My hammer, tch, of course," he said and bounced the mace off his shoulders and onto the ground. "It has been with me since I started out as a pirate, and it has made me into one of the strongest, tch!"

"Very well." Lance raised his knives and crossed them in front of his face. His breath was leaving his body in sharp exhales, each lungful of air making his ribs emit disgusting snaps and pops. "Then, I shall rid you of that hammer," he said calmly. "Knife Waltz!"

As Lance sprinted forward, Kai swung his hammer to meet the knives, the weapons connecting with a devastating _crash_. Lance growled as he felt the bones in his arms begin breaking, but he kept pushing, putting all his strength into his arms.

For a moment, everything became completely silent. Then, Lance released a loud roar and bucked his knives, the blades sinking into the enormous hammer and making the heavy weapon shatter.

He released a pained exclaim as he felt his left arm break from the impact of the strike. He clutched to his limb and quickly moved back, his eyes never wavering from Kai's face. The force of the impact made the captain stumble back and drop to his knees, his face drained of all previous pride.

"My... tch, my hammer," he breathed out, his attention fully focused on what little pieces remained of his trusted weapon. "It's gone..."

"A shipwright weeps for the soul of a sinking ship." Lance had stepped up next to the captain, a cold frown on his face as even he observed the fragments of the hammer. "He would never take pride in the destruction of a vessel."

"You destroyed it, tch," Kai growled and began rising to his feet, pure rage dancing over his face. "My hammer, you destroyed-"

Lance sheathed one of his trench knives and slammed his healthy elbow straight into Kai's temple. The captain sat quiet for a few seconds, his eyes widening comically before he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Yes, I destroyed it," Lance said as he sheathed the other knife as well and moved towards the exit, loosening the bow around his neck. "And know this, sir Kai; should you ever lay even a finger on another ship again, I shall return for you and destroy your skull."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN;_ I absolutely loved writing this episode! Lance in combat is pretty damn cool._

_Chasse Step Slash – Chasse is a specific step in waltz, where you take one step forward, spin around to face the other side and take a step backwards._

_Have a pleasant weekend, and until monday, fare thee well!_


	72. Atalaya versus Meteor!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode seventy two – Atalaya versus Meteor! Friends and foes of war!**

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Atalaya kept her stance as she waited for Meteor to make the first move. The air between them was thick enough to touch, and for the first time since they had docked at Resteran Cove, Atalaya completely ignored Van Rosheer's presence.

"You're too confident," Meteor finally growled. "You sent your crew to battle other _captains _with the belief that they actually will prevail?"

"I did," Atalaya said and nodded. "And I'm not worried in the slightest. I wouldn't have dragged them into this fight if I didn't have complete trust in them."

Meteor scoffed and spat on the ground. "You're too sentimental," he said. "That kind of talk may have been acceptable in whatever sea you come from, but this is Grand Line!" He raised the spear and pointed the tip at Atalaya. "You won't survive here for long if you act like that!"

"That's not for you to decide," Atalaya snapped. "I can find strength to sail forward only because I know my comrades will keep my back safe, no matter where I go or what I do!"

A short silence stretched between them, a silence Meteor decided to break after almost a full minute. "I dare say I have most affection for my own crew of all the Extermination captains, so I'm wise enough not to disrespect you for that," he said. "And fortunately for you, most of my men are on the ship or elsewhere, and so you couldn't kill them like you did the others. But all the same, I will still have to erase you!"

"You're welcome to try," Atalaya said and growled as her claws dug into the ground. "Never mind what motivates either of us, I'm just here to kick your asses. Nothing more."

A malicious grin stretched Meteor's lips as he widened his stance. "Come get me then, stray cat," he said and tantalizingly tapped the tip of the spear to the ground.

Atalaya snarled and took a few small steps forward, watching for any kind of reaction from her opponent before crouching down. She spun around once and jumped high off the ground, letting her ability turn her into a hybrid as she neared Meteor.

As the captain raised his spear to make her impale herself, Atalaya twisted in mid-air, feeling the very edge of the spear barely graze over her arm, the contact triggering a rush of ticklish goosebumps up her arms.

She locked her hands around the grip of the spear, grinning as Meteor emitted a threatening growl. "Let go of it," he grit out, waving the spear around in an attempt to loosen Atalaya's grip.

"Okay." Atalaya let go the instant Meteor began lowering the spear again, the motion leaving his upper body completely unguarded. She covered her fist with rough fur, snarling loudly as she punched Meteor straight over the mouth.

The impact jarred the captain away from her, and she added to the force by using him as leverage to jump back, performing a neat flip and landing on her feet. She bounced up and down a few times before assuming her battle stance once more as she watched Meteor recover.

"What are you doing, Meteor?!" Van Rosheer screeched, hammering the armrest as if it would be a button to trigger Meteor's functions.

"Stay out of this," Atalaya and Meteor growled at the exact same time. A feral grin ghosted over Atalaya's lips as her and the captain's eyes met, and she emitted an exhilarated chuckle as she sprinted forward again.

She ducked down to aim for Meteor's legs, but as if the captain knew exactly what she was going to do, he propelled the spear above his head a few times to gain momentum before swinging it down, the blunt side crashing against the back of Atalaya's knees. She cursed at her own miscalculation of the spear's radius as she toppled over, rolling over the ground like a football.

When she finally stopped, she found herself laying on her back by Meteor's feet. Her eyes traveled from the captain's smug smirk to the raised spear, and her muscles kicked in to barely let her avoid being penetrated by performing a backwards somersault. She felt the spear's sharp edge against her back, and she grit her teeth as she heard the fabric of her jacket tear and felt her skin split open in a shallow wound.

Well on her feet again, Atalaya pounced off the ground to strike the captain again, but Meteor reacted too quickly. He bucked the spear and spun it once, slamming the blunt side into Atalaya's cheek. She snarled as she was thrown back, and she wasted no time in positioning her body for the landing, the palms of her hands protesting as she planted them onto the ground to cease the skidding.

Several small cuts had opened up on her palms as she stood up straight, and she huffed in annoyance as she grabbed hold of a small, pointy rock that stuck out of her right palm and harshly pulled it out.

"Okay," she muttered to herself and quickly ran her tongue over the bleeding wound, growling at the bitter taste of blood. "Let's kick it up a notch."

With a quick roll of her shoulders, Atalaya broke off the ground as if shot out of a cannon. She leaned to the side to dodge the spear, and as the impact of the strike momentarily made the weapon sink into the ground, Atalaya grinned and placed a foot on the grip, preventing Meteor from pulling it back up.

"Get off, stray cat!"

"I'm not a stray cat," she snarled and jumped up high. "I'm a sabertooth." She planted her hands on Meteor's shoulders and smashed their foreheads together. The rough fur on her brow lessened the effect on her while the captain groaned and blinked rapidly, stars dancing before his eyes.

Atalaya took the time to crouch down and kick the captain's legs, effectively making him lose his balance and fall backwards. Before he could reach the ground, Atalaya let escape a feral roar and punched him in the side, sending him tumbling towards the throne.

The spear had slipped from Meteor's grip, and Atalaya hummed as she bent down and picked it up. She spun it around a few times before letting it rest against her shoulder. "You're not fighting seriously, are you?" she asked as the captain stood up, clutching to his throbbing side. "This can't be all you've got."

"I could say the same about you, stray cat," Meteor snapped. "The abilities you used against the crews, you're not using them against me."

"Do you want me to?" Atalaya asked gravely and braced her right hand, using the spear as leverage to lean forward. "I won't hesitate if you really _want_ me to beat you."

Meteor's eyes widened as he only now realized Atalaya was holding his weapon. "How weak, taking the enemy's weapon during a fight," he spat out.

"Oi oi, don't judge me too quickly." Atalaya flipped the spear so she was holding onto it just beneath the sharp head. "I only picked it up to not let it get dirty on the ground," she said and pointed the blunt end at Meteor, who stared at her as if she would've been crazy.

"You're giving me back my weapon," he stated in disbelief.

"I am," Atalaya said and nodded. "A battle doesn't have any meaning if someone is unfairly defeated. I may be a pirate, but I still fight fair."

The captain sighed and shook his head. "You're a weird kind of pirate," he muttered and took a step closer, but before he could move further, a large hand settled on his shoulder.

Atalaya's expression darkened, and Meteor turned around with a confused frown furrowing his brow and found himself face to face with a furious Van Rosheer. "What do you think you're doing, Meteor?" he asked, his voice cold and dangerous.

"I'm about to continue our fight," Meteor said, obviously irritated by this interruption. "Give me a few more minutes and I'll serve you the stray cat's head on a gold platter."

A dark chuckle rolled through Van Rosheer's teeth and his grip on the captain's shoulder tightened. "A few more minutes," he repeated slowly, raising a hand to scratch his neck. "Are you sure you can deliver? It looks like you're in a tight spot."

"No offense, _sir_," Meteor sighed, the honorific drenched in sarcasm. "But I'd like to remind you I am the strongest of all five... well, _four_ remaining captains."

"But you're not fighting seriously."

"_Hey_!"

Atalaya took a few steps forward, a scowl twisting her features as she glared at Van Rosheer. "You wait your turn," she said loudly and pointed a claw-equipped finger at him. "Let your comrade fight until he's satisfied. Then you can come and get your ass kicked!"

A smirk ghosted over Meteor's lips and he nodded, as eager to resume the fight as Atalaya, but the hand on his shoulder still prevented him from moving. "Release me," he said calmly.

The request fell on deaf ears as Van Rosheer ignored him and absentmindedly adjusted his golden chains. "My comrade, huh?" he mumbled. "Do you think these pirates are worthy of calling themselves my _comrades_?" He threw his head back and laughed. "No, Sabertooth, these are my tools," he cajoled. "When they lose their edge, I can dispose of them just like this."

A gunshot echoed throughout the hall, and Atalaya's lips parted in shock as she saw a hole appear in the shoulder of Meteor's jacket, the areas around in quickly becoming red. The captain's face mirrored Atalaya's shock, and he staggered forward as Van Rosheer released a bark of laughter and pushed Meteor away from him, smoke rising from the gun in his hand.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Atalaya screamed, the image of the bartender's shooting flashing before her eyes. She threw the spear to the side and dashed forward, reaching out her arms as the captain began to fall. She huffed as she caught his weight, and with Van Rosheer's eyes resting on her, she ground her teeth together and hoisted the captain up on her back.

She was completely silent as she carried him to the side, shivering as she felt his warm blood flow onto her neck. "Why... why're you doing... this?" Meteor hissed as she lowered him onto the ground, placing him in a sitting position with his back leaning against the mountain wall. "We... I'm your enemy..."

"You're not the one I came here to fight," Atalaya said calmly as she tore off a piece of his jacket and pressed it to the captain's wound. "You've probably done things for which I _should_ kick your ass to hell and back, but if someone hurts their own crew in front of me, I'll only have eyes for _that_ enemy."

She directed Meteor's hand to the wound and made sure he pressed down the piece of cloth over it before standing up straight and walking back to the middle of the hall. Her eyes settled on Van Rosheer, and if looks could kill, the man would've dropped dead right there and then.

"What kind of idiot takes care of his enemies?" he asked, dark amusement in his tone. "You would've killed him yourself if the battle would've continued."

"Probably," Atalaya said and cracked her knuckles. "But at least the fight would've been fair. I don't kill a fleeing target, and I especially wouldn't kill someone by shooting them in the back!"

Another merciless laughter bubbled out from Van Rosheer's mouth."What do I need him for?!" he roared and tossed the gun to the side. "With the amount of gold I received from Blackbeard, I can acquire new weapons like him within a few hours!"

He's a human being, you bastard!" Atalaya raised her hands and widened her stance, preparing to charge at the large man with all that she had. "You're the kind of person I hate the most, and when I'm done with you, you're going to wish you'd never been born!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Alright, guys, it started kinda slow with the questions for the Special Talk Show... I can't do this if I don't get enough questions from you guys! I'll remind you about this every monday. Just in case you happen to forget. (those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, refer to the AN in episode 70.)_

_Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	73. Into the depths of the cave!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode seventy three – Into the depths of the cave! Find and free the prisoners!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Left, right, straight, left again..."

Roa cursed as he once again arrived at a dead end. For the past ten minutes, he'd been walking around inside the large cave as fast as his injured legs permitted him to. The trails inside the cave were narrow and winding, and several new turning possibilities appeared one after the other.

"Okay," he growled and retraced his steps, withdrawing an arrow from the quiver to carve a large cross into the stone wall. He nodded in satisfaction and resumed walking, his ears perked as he listened for even the tiniest of sounds. His bow hung loosely in his hand, constantly present in case he'd happen across more enemies.

For another five minutes, he ran back and forth through the maze before his legs started giving in. "Shit," he hissed as he braced himself against the wall, his hands curling up into fists as he glared down at his bloodied pants.

"This is nothing," he spat out after a few seconds. He pushed off the wall and started walking, ignoring the pain that shot up his legs with every step. "Nothing compared to... hold up."

Roa stopped and looked around, his eyes narrowing as he found himself standing in a slightly familiar alley. "This..." A triumphant grin appeared on his lips as he realized he'd discovered a pattern in the maze. "I should just have to move right, left, left again and straight," he mumbled to himself.

Before he began moving, he buried the arrowhead in the wall, dragging it along the rocks as he walked, creating a long slit he could follow on the way back. The pain didn't seem nearly as present right now, and he quickly navigated past the halls, not arriving at a dead end even once.

Suddenly, Roa halted as he could hear voices. "Crap," he muttered and raised his bow, ignoring the pain it caused his arms as he nocked the arrow. He waited, but when the hushed voiced didn't come any closer, the archer moved instead. Soundlessly, he moved his feet over the ground, his right eyebrow twitching every time he caused a sound by accidentally kicking a small rock.

As he approached the end of a long trail, he noticed a dim light on the other side of a sharp corner. He leaned against the wall for a few moments, inhaling deeply as he prepared himself for the battle that was to come, and after grounding his teeth together in determination, he stepped around the corner.

It took Roa a few seconds to realize the voiced didn't belong to any enemies at all. He found himself in a small space lit up by two oil lamps. Thick iron bars split the room into two parts, and a loud "Shush!" was heard from the other side of the bars as Roa stepped closer, his bow still raised and ready.

"You're the Extermination Pirates' prisoners?" he asked loudly as he walked into the faint light. When he didn't get a reply, he lowered his bow and moved up to the bars. "I'm not here to hurt anyone," he said in an almost successful attempt to sound reassuring.

A few seconds of silence passed before a young man with curly black, shoulder-long hair and steel-rimmed glasses stepped up right in front of him. He couldn't have been much older than Roa, but his calm expression made him seem a lot more adult-like. "Who are you?" he asked, absolutely no hostility in his voice. "You're not one of the pirates who kidnapped us."

"No, I'm not," Roa said. "My name's Roa, I'm the navigator of the Saber Pirates."

The man arched an eyebrow in suspicion as Roa mentioned he was a pirate as well. "I'm Ruule," he said after a few moments, and Roa noticed he had a slight accent. "What business do the... Saber Pirates, was it, have here on Resteran Cove?"

"We came to take out the Extermination Pirates," Roa said, the ghost of a smirk dancing over his lips at the surprise on Ruule's face. "We've already taken down Marbray and Gerosse, and the rest of our crew is in the process of eliminating the remaining."

More people appeared next to Ruule, all of them staring at Roa as if he would've been an angel. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, the archer backed a few steps and cleared his throat. "My captain sent me here to get you out," he said and looked around, his eyes landing on the prison cell's door.

Roa strapped his bow over his shoulder and moved up to the door. He crouched down, hissing as his legs protested. While the other prisoners were satisfied with watching from afar, Ruule took a few steps closer to the archer. "You're hurt," he stated.

"Marvelous observation," Roa said sarcastically as he scanned the lock. "Fights don't come without casualties, you know."

Ruule arched an eyebrow at the remark. "Are you really a pirate?" he asked.

"Uh-huh." Roa didn't tear his eyes off the lock as he rummaged through his belt for the two needles he used for lock picking. "Why?"

"You don't seem like one," Ruule said. "A crew of pirates fighting and getting injured just to rescue a bunch of prisoners who they don't even know?"

A loud snort escaped Roa as he inserted the first needle into the lock. "Yeah, out captain is quite the odd one," he admitted. "After Marbray of the Extermination Pirates shot a bartender in front of he- _his_ eyes back on Kanran-sha Island, he decided to come here and put an end to their doings."

"A bartender..." Roa halted the twisting of the needles to look up at Ruule, who had gone quite pale. "That bartender, what was his name?" he asked and grabbed hold of the bars.

"We don't know. He worked at a restaurant in Rainbow's End, just by the harbor."

The black-haired man sighed deeply and slid down the bars into a sitting position. "He was my boss," he said, his voice for the first time straying off its composed tone. "He got hurt trying to stop Marbray from taking me here, and now..."

He cursed in a foreign language, and Roa suddenly remembered something the barman had told them at the restaurant. "He spoke of you," he said. "You worked in the kitchen of the restaurant, right?"

Before Ruule could answer, the sound of approaching footsteps made Roa jump to his feet and tear the bow from his shoulder. "Back up, all of you," he growled as he nocked an arrow, narrowing his eyes as he tried to glare through the dark. "Come on, show yourself..."

A few seconds passed before an all too familiar chuckle was heard from within the shadows. Roa cursed in frustration and lowered his bow, muttering under his breath as he returned to picking the lock. "Trying to scare the shit out of me, fox face?" he asked loudly, shaking his head at Ruule, who appeared in front of him equipped with a confused expression.

"What a rude way to greet your fellow crew member."

Roa groaned and relieved some of his irritation by jabbing the needle deeper into the lock. "So you survived as well, pretty boy," he said with a grimace no one but Ruule could see.

"You needn't sound so disappointed." Lance stepped up behind him and slapped the back of his head. "Are you not supposed to congratulate us for achieving victory in our battles against the captains?" he asked as he quickly hopped out of range from seething archer.

As Roa twisted his head to give the shipwright a piece of his mind, he noticed Lance had removed the ribbon around his collar and used it to form a neat cast for his left arm, which appeared to be broken. "I see I'm not the only one who had difficulties with my fight," Roa stated.

Lance parted his lips to give a sour reply, but Kitsune placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him to the side. "C'mon, stop the bickerin'," he sang. "The locals'll think yer not takin' this seriously."

"Says the most leisure one here," Roa mumbled as he resumed his work on the stubborn lock. "They're part of the crew," he added as he noticed Ruule's expression. "If they're here, that means only Meteor and Van Rosheer remains, and Atalaya's probably fighting them as we speak."

"There's only four of you?" Ruule asked, obviously impressed. A short silence stretched between them before he raised his voice again. "So what happened after Marbray shot my boss?"

"Tellin' the whole story, are ya, blondie?" Kitsune piped up and moved up behind Roa, who sighed in frustration. "Ta who are ya talkin'?"

Before the archer could answer, Ruule straightened up to introduce himself. "I'm Ruule," he said, showing no signs of being intimidated by the blood in Kitsune's hair and skin, or the fact that the swordsman was seemingly glaring at him through closed eyes. "I'm an employee for the bartender who got shot at Rainbow's End."

"Really now?" Kitsune hummed and bended forward to lean on Roa. "Oh yeah, that guy did mention gettin' his ass kicked tryin' ta defend someone. Small world, ne?"

Roa sighed as he shook his shoulders to get rid of Kitsune's weight. "Leave the guy alone, fox face," he grumbled, but the request fell on dead ears.

"Did ya tell him 'bout the funeral?" Kitsune asked and poked the hilt of Hebi Kotei into the cheek of the almost seething archer.

"Funeral?"

"Although injured, out captain carried the bartender to Purple Island," Lance piped up. "And buried him in the meadow of beautiful flowers, underneath the single tree that grows in the middle."

Ruule's eyes widened behind the glasses, and after staring at Lance for a few more seconds, he lowered his head and chuckled softly. "Your captain is-"

"Weird?" Roa finished the sentence for him. "Yeah, everybody says that. Even we did before we joined him." He shot a warning glance at Lance, who seemed like he wanted to correct the use of the word 'he'. His attention was captured when the lock emitted a quiet _click_ and the door swung open. "Alright, everybody out," he said as he stood up.

The prisoners all moved under silence, sending uncertain glances at their rescuers. "Uhh..." Roa turned to face Kitsune. "Where do we take them now?" he asked.

"Why ya askin' me?" Kitsune jingled. "I ain't got a clue what the cap'n wants us ta do with 'em."

"We lead them aboard Atlas," Lance said and gestured for Roa to show them the way out. "Then we shall wait for the captain to return."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Aren't I nice, dropping this episode on you when you're all expecting the big fight between Atalaya and Van Rosheer? Heh._

_I'm getting a lot of awesome questions, but keep it coming, guys! There's no limit as to how many questions I'll take in, so just send me everything you've got, and I'll try to include all of them!_

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	74. Atalaya versus Van Rosheer!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode seventy four – Atalaya versus Van Rosheer! The unbeatable enemy?!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The sound of Van Rosheer's laugh seemed to echo throughout the entire cave. His attention was placed on Atalaya, who had yet to move one single step from the middle of the hall. She returned his glare, scanning every inch of his body for a weak spot.

"You actually think you can defeat me?" Van Rosheer cajoled, clutching to his side, which was aching from laughter. "You think a rookie pirate like yourself can defeat someone who was handpicked by Black-"

"Ah, _enough_ with Blackbeard already!" Atalaya interrupted him. "I don't care if the Pirate King himself would've picked you out, that still doesn't give you any more strength than you already have!"

Van Rosheer sobered up at this, but he didn't show any signs of anger. "You seem so certain of yourself," he said and tilted his head to the side. "What is it that drives you? What makes you so idiotic as to think you and your crew stands a chance against me and my captains?"

"Seems like _you_'re the idiot here," Atalaya grinned, deliberately provoking the large man. "Haven't you noticed? There are no sounds coming from the other sides of the walls. And since your captains are nowhere to be seen, it's only safe to assume that my comrades have won their battles!"

Almost a full minute passed before realization seemed to hit Van Rosheer in the gut. He turned his attention away from Atalaya and glared at the walls as if he expected the captains to materialize from them at any second.

Finally, when he grew too impatient, he leaned back and inhaled deeply. "Bordania!" he roared. "Kai, Gerosse! _Answer me_!"

When no reply was heard, he lowered his eyes to the ground, his teeth grinding together in cold fury. "Useless," he spat out and roughly shook his head, the chains around his neck chiming as they collided with each other. "Absolutely useless!"

Atalaya scowled at his behavior and took a few steps closer. "Bring out your weapon so we can fight," she snapped, clicking her teeth together in impatience. "I'm not gonna kick your ass like that."

The large man breathed heavily through his nose, making him look like a very much aggravated bull. He glared at Atalaya for a few seconds before sighing and reaching inside his pants' pockets. When he withdrew his hands, they were covered by metallic gloves, seemingly made of gold mixed with some other valuable mineral.

The knuckles of the gloves were reinforced with thorns, and at the tips of the fingers, long and sharp claws had been formed. "Let's see how well you do against a weapon like your own," Van Rosheer grinned. "Although I seriously doubt your claws are made of the hardest, most expensive platinum there is in all of the world..."

Atalaya growled and dashed forward, giving no warning as she jumped and twisted in mid-air, extending her legs and planting them straight between Van Rosheer's ribs in a powerful kick. The large man was thrown back, tumbling a good distance along the floor before managing to break the skid.

He stood up straight without any difficulties, grinning widely as he noticed Atalaya's eyes narrow. "Is that the best you got?" he asked tantalizingly and beckoned his index finger. "And here I was hoping to get a serious opponent for once!"

Atalaya's expression darkened as she moved forward again, thrusting the heel of her hand to meet Van Rosheer's knee. He stumbled, and Atalaya growled as she slammed her elbow straight into the big man's left lung, her ears twitching as she heard the sound of a bone cracking.

Van Rosheer crashed into the ground with such force his body bounced up a few inches before he finally became still. The silence that followed was unnatural, as the man should've been coughing and inhaling deeply in an attempt to fill his lungs with air.

As Atalaya moved back she knew something was very much amiss. Van Rosheer stood up right away and sighed, not even a little bit out of breath. He seemed perfectly unharmed, although Atalaya could see large bruises forming where she hand struck him.

Before she could even form a question in her mind, Van Rosheer charged forward, raising a heavily armored hand to strike. His speed caught Atalaya off guard, and she suddenly realized how much bigger the man was, along with how that minimized her chances of properly dodging. As the platinum claws came flying towards her head, she grabbed her only chance and dove towards the opening between Van Rosheer's legs.

Once she was securely out of the big man's sight, Atalaya kicked off the ground and buried her claws into Van Rosheer's back and started climbing up his upper body until she reached his neck. She grabbed a handful of the golden chains and jumped back down, roaring as she pulled Van Rosheer with her, throwing him over her shoulder and head first towards the ground.

He crashed into the ground, and Atalaya took the opportunity to quickly put some distance between them. Her eyes widened as the man stood up again not seconds later, a menacing chuckle rolling past his lips as he cracked his neck to the sides. Blood was welling from the puncture wounds Atalaya's claws had created, but he didn't even seem to notice them.

"You've got speed, I'll give you that," he said gleefully. "But I can't even feel your hits!"

"You'll be chewing on your words soon enough," Atalaya snarled and leaned forward to prepare another attack, but Rosheer moved before her. He blasted off as if shot out of a cannon, and before Atalaya could get the chance to dodge, he was right in front of her with his right hand raised.

Atalaya barely got the time to cross her arms in front of her face before the golden claws descended upon her. She growled as she felt them sink into her skin, and the impact of the blow jarred her off the ground. She exclaimed as she crashed into the ground, the wound on her back taking the full hit.

"_That_ is power!" Van Rosheer shouted and threw his arms out to the sides as if to embrace the hall. "You don't have enough power to defeat me, Sabertooth!" His grin widened as he watched Atalaya stand up straight again, her chest rapidly rising and falling in time with her heavy breathing. "But I'll give you a fair try. Hit me wherever you want, with whatever kind of ability you want."

Atalaya's eyebrows disappeared underneath her bandana, and she stared at Van Rosheer in disbelief. "You're bluffing," she finally snarled. "And even if you weren't, I'm not attacking someone who's willingly allowing me to kill them. That's not a fair try!"

"_Kill_ me?!" Another loud laugh burst past Van Rosheer's lips. "Come now, Sabertooth," he cajoled. "Skip the honorable act and strike me. I want to see if a li'l kitty cat like you could even _dream_ of defeating me!"

The provocative nickname was all it took for Atalaya to comply. She widened her stance and inhaled deeply, bracing herself for the attack she was about to launch. Slowly, she raised both of her arms, focusing as much straight into her hands as possible, and after half a minute of complete concentration and silence, she released a roar as she let her claws tear through the air.

"Twin Claw _Cannon_!"

The words left her lips in a scream, and although the amount of strength the attack had required left her exhaling sharply, her eyes didn't waver from Van Rosheer. The current triggered by the attack was powerful enough to be seen as it raced through the air, and Rosheer closed his eyes one split second before in connected with his chest.

The force of the attack made the dust on the ground whip up all around the hall, and Van Rosheer was thrown off the ground, flying a good eighteen yards and crashing into the wall, a large crater forming in the mountain around his body. Eight large cuts appeared on his upper body, and at the same time as she was impressed of the strength she'd summoned, Atalaya almost felt bad for what she'd done to the big man.

Until Van Rosheer stood up straight again, a toothy grin plastered on his face.

All air seemed to leave Atalaya's lungs out of pure shock as she watched him move back to where he'd just been standing, walking as if nothing had just happened. He was still not even a little out of breath, even though the cuts on his chest should make him at least a little dizzy.

"It's not possible..." Atalaya breathed out, much to Van Rosheer's joy.

"I told you, you can't defeat me!" he roared, completely ignoring the blood that welled from the wounds on his chest. "Attacks like that won't have any effect on me!"

"That can't be possible, unless..." Atalaya assumed her defensive stance as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You have an ability," she growled. "There's no other way that would be possible!"

Van Rosheer's smile grew wider, and he nodded. "Quite sharp, aren't you?" he chortled. "But what you say is true, I have the power of a Devil's Fruit. And not just any Devil's Fruit!"

He raised his hand and pointed at himself, and his tone was dark and menacing as he declared, "I ate the Mutsu Mutsu no mi, the Painless Fruit, and I can no longer feel pain! The greatest of all Paramecia Devil's Fruits turned me into an invulnerable man!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_She's in trouble now, isn't she? This is the perfect way to leave you guys hanging over the weekend, at least I think so._

_Heh._

_Oh, and just because Van Rosheer himself thinks the Mutsu Mutsu no mi is the greatest Paramecia in the universe, it doesn't mean it's true. Only he thinks so._

_You know something I find very weird? The fact that I use the American metric system when I'm from Finland. Even more so since the original One Piece uses kilometers and meters. I have no idea why I use yards or feet. Every time I have to write a distance, I google "meters to yards" and go from there. Weird... I'll probably change it at some point. And I will inform you when and if that happens._

_Until monday, fare thee well, my darlings!_


	75. What is pain?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode seventy five – What is pain? The value of companions!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya stood, completely frozen, as she stared at the abnormally large man in front of her. His front was covered in cuts and bruises, but he didn't show any signs of the wounds even itching a little.

"What's wrong, Sabertooth?" Van Rosheer asked after a few seconds of silence. "Cat got your tongue?"

As he laughed at his own wit, Atalaya widened her stance and readied herself. "To feel pain is one thing," she snarled. "But all human beings go down when their bodies are damaged enough, so you're not invincible."

She pounced before Van Rosheer sobered up, and as she reached him, she skidded and moved aside to avoid his strike. With his guard now wide open, she straightened up and braced her right arm. "Claw Gun!" she cried and struck his ribs for the third time, growling as the only response she got was a loud cackling.

"Pathetic!" Van Rosheer roared and slammed the back of his armed hand into Atalaya's temple, sending her flying to the side. "I haven't felt pain in over fourteen years, and it's been an equal amount of years since my last defeat!"

Atalaya let escape a sound of frustration as she staggered to her feet again, her head throbbing in pain. Her mind was working on double speed to work out how to defeat Van Rosheer before going down herself. As her eyes raked over his damaged body to locate a fatal spot, Atalaya moved backwards every time as the large man moved forward, keen on keeping a safe distance between them.

"You don't seem even half as confident as before!" Rosheer snickered as he took a few teasing steps closer, chuckling darkly as Atalaya was forced closer and closer to a corner of the walls. "I must say I'm a little disappointed. You seemed like you could've actually kept me entertained for longer than this!"

The second Atalaya's back connected with the wall, he sprinted forward. As he raised his arms to strike, Atalaya turned on the heel and desperately extended her claws as far as they went before slamming them into the rock, grinning in relief as she found she could use them to climb up the mountain wall.

She chuckled as she heard Van Rosheer collide into the wall a few inches beneath her. She kept moving up, scaling the hard mountain like a lizard, and once she was sure she was out of harm's way, she glanced down at her opponent. "What?" she asked tantalizingly, cursing herself for being stupid enough to provoke the man now. "Cats can climb trees, you know. This isn't much different."

"Coward!" Van Rosheer shouted and slammed his fists into the wall. "Get back down here so I can finish you off!"

"Of course." Atalaya kicked off the wall, performed a neat backflip and landed straight on the man's shoulders. Before Rosheer could even raise his hands to tear her off, she dropped into a sitting position, locked her legs around his neck and twisted her body backwards, the motion causing Van Rosheer to lose his footing.

As both of them fell backwards, Atalaya reached out her hands and planted them safely on the ground to protect her head as she used the momentum of the fall to slam Van Rosheer into the ground, head first. She straightened up, but before she could move away, Rosheer's right hand locked around her ankle in a vice grip.

"I'm getting tired of your little tricks," the man growled as he stood up, tugging Atalaya into the air as if she would've been made out of feathers. "I'll just kill you right here and now!"

Atalaya didn't even have time to try and get out of Van Rosheer's hold before he slammed her into the ground. She hissed in pain as her left shoulder crashed against the hard rocks, a nasty crunching sound ringing throughout her body, the hiss turning into a snarl as Rosheer raised her off the ground again to repeat the process.

Not before her temple connected with the ground for the third time did Atalaya find the sense to fully transform into a sabertooth tiger. The additional weight made Van Rosheer growl as he tried to lift her off the ground again, and when he couldn't, Atalaya jumped to reach his height and jabbed her right paw straight over the man's eyes.

Van Rosheer exclaimed and released her so he could claw at his brow. "Bastard!" he roared as he repeatedly dabbed his eyes. "Are you trying to blind me?!"

"I wouldn't like to, but desperate times call for desperate measures," Atalaya said and morphed back into a human when she'd secured a nice distance between them. "You can't expect me to not strike back if you use me as a toy hammer to pound on the ground with!"

A furious sound escaped Van Rosheer as he finally lowered his hands again. Naturally, he hadn't felt any pain, but having someone plant a claw into his right eye was bound to have consequences. He kept the eye squeezed shut, but his glare was no less threatening as he focused on Atalaya.

"You... why are you even fighting me?" he suddenly demanded, genuine curiosity hiding behind his rage. "It's not like what I do has anything to do with you."

Atalaya arched an eyebrow in surprise at the sudden question. "First, I came here to avenge someone," she said coldly. "But now, I _really _want to beat the crap out of you for treating your fellow human beings like dirt!"

"You're not serious!" Van Rosheer threw his hands out to the sides. "You don't know anything about my underlings!" he shouted, his loud voice making Atalaya's ears twitch. "Scum of the earth they were until I offered them this position! Not even worthy of being called humans!"

"So you think you can take on the earth, _this sea_ on your own?" Atalaya snarled, her fury equal to Rosheer's. "You'll never be able to get far on this sea without the trust and care of your comrades!"

"What the hell do you know of this sea?!"

Atalaya retracted all of her ability, even her claws and teeth. Slowly, she began dragging her feet over the ground, closer and closer to the big man in front of her. "I don't know anything about this sea," she said quietly, slowly but surely upping the pace at which she walked. "And I don't know anything about where you've been or what you've seen during your life."

She sped up into a dash as she drew closer still, her voice increasing in volume for each uttered word. "But I know why you need comrades!" Van Rosheer lowered his arms and stared at her, not even bothering to raise his guard. "Comrades are those who make sure you're safe during whatever it is you face!" Atalaya's voice evolved into a scream, and when she got close enough to Rosheer, she jumped up so as to be on the same height as he.

"Comrades are those who helps pick you up when you _fall_!" With the last word, Atalaya slammed her right fist into Van Rosheer's face. An odd feeling flowed through her body like a current, as if the air around her arm would've added to the strength she used, and as Rosheer's body was thrown far to the side and she landed on the ground again, she was more out of breath than she should've been from just a punch.

Van Rosheer crashed into the ground a several yards away, but he didn't get up straight away like before. Instead, he slowly rose into a sitting position, and Atalaya barely got to see him raise a hand to his face before he released a terrible scream.

The sheer volume of the sound made Atalaya clamp her hands down over her ears. Her eyes widened as she watched the big man stand up and turn her way, his hands furiously tracing over his wounds in an attempt to close them. "What did you do to me?!" he shrieked, wincing at his own touches. "Pain... I feel... _It hurts_!"

Atalaya watched in pure shock as the man staggered a bit where he stood, his features rapidly changing from confidence to confusion and fear-mixed anger. "This can't be..." he growled. "This cannot be!"

Though confused, Atalaya took the opportunity she was presented with. "How does it feel now, to be without comrades?" she asked loudly and took a few steps closer, once again allowing her ability to equip her with claws and teeth. "They would let you-"

"Shut up!" Van Rosheer screamed and raised a trembling hand to point at her. "I don't need you to lecture me on what I need! I have money! Blackbeard gave me money, and with money, I can do anything!"

Atalaya let escape a furious snarl as she bounded forward, pushing off the ground and planting the heel of her shoe straight over Rosheer's lips. "Can you eat money?" she growled and backed up a bit before sprinting forward again, using her claws to slash up a new cut in the man's arm. "Can money close your wounds?"

Van Rosheer hissed as he saw more of his own precious blood spill, and he looked around, desperate for anything he could use, anything that could save him. His body appeared almost paralyzed from the fear generated from feeling pain for the first time since he was a young boy.

"Can money save you when you're all alone, facing an opponent you can't defeat?" Atalaya asked coldly, her rage only increasing at Van Rosheer's meek state.

"Please," he whispered, sliding down the wall as Atalaya took a few steps closer. "Someone, plea-"

"If money is your god, why isn't he saving you right now?" Atalaya interrupted, and as she raised her right hand to strike, Van Rosheer almost seemed to shrink a little, and his healthy eye widened in horror as he repeatedly pleaded to be spared.

With a final, furious roar, Atalaya slammed her fist into the wall right next to Van Rosheer's face. "I already said I won't kill a fleeing target," she breathed out, her face only a few inches from Rosheer's. "But don't you _ever_ again dare say money is more important than the people around you!"

She held her position, waiting for any sign of subjugation from the big man. The air between them was intact with Atalaya's anger, and after a few short seconds of intense eye contact, Van Rosheer exhaled sharply, and his eyelids slid shut as his entire body went flaccid.

"What the-" Surprised, Atalaya straightened up and glared down at the fainted man for almost a full minute, wondering what on earth one would do in a situation like this. "I guess the lesson went through," she muttered, sending Van Rosheer a final sneer before turning on the heel and walking away.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _And so the great battle ends!_

_Questions will be answered if there are any weird things you wanna make clear ;)_

_Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	76. Sail back to Rainbow's End!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode seventy six – Sail back to Rainbow's End! An unexpected request!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya stopped momentarily to check on Meteor, who was still sitting at the same spot she'd left him on. She crouched down in front of him, and although the captain was barely conscious, he raised his head to look at her. "You-"

"No," Atalaya snapped, her voice cold. "Now that I'm finished with that guy, you're my enemy again. I'm gonna leave you here, so it'll be up to you whether you survive. We probably won't meet ever again, and if we do, it'll be on a battlefield."

With that, she stood up straight and walked towards the double doors from where they had burst through not hours ago. "Wonder how the others are doing," she mumbled as she moved through the dark hall.

She had to pause to lean against the wall, and she hissed as she only now realized her left shoulder was dislocated. If she'd been in a better condition, she'd snapped the limb back to its place, but her right arm was so drained of strength, she could only stick her left hand into her pocket to lessen the burden on her shoulder.

As she got closer to the exit of the cave, she noticed the sun was already rising into the sky. Small rays of sunlight managed to leak into the dark hallway, and Atalaya squinted her eyes as she stepped outside, the sunlight almost blinding.

"Atalaya!"

She blinked rapidly a few times before getting used to the light, and as she looked down the grassy hill and towards the docks, a wide grin stretched her lips as she saw Lance, Kitsune and Roa standing by the shore. She raised her right arm in a wave as she trotted down towards the docks, but her smile turned concerned when she noticed all of them were injured.

"All of you okay?" she asked the second she reached them.

"Worry more about yourself, stupid," Roa scoffed, his eyes wandering from the cuts and bruises on her forehead to the smeared blood on her arms. "You look terrible."

The last remark earned him a hard smack to the back of his head by Lance, who offered him a glance of deepest dismay before turning his attention to Atalaya. "Pay him no heed, captain," he said and bowed his head in salute. "He lost whatever manners he had left in his battle against Gerosse."

"What did you say?!"

Atalaya grinned warmly as the two began bickering, and she turned her attention to Kitsune. "What about you?" she asked.

"What 'bout me?"

Kitsune's smile disappeared as Atalaya arched an eyebrow at him. "Not now," he said curtly, and Atalaya nodded in content at the promise of answers later.

"Did you find the locals?" she asked.

"Aye. They're waitin' aboard. Yer shoulder looks weird."

"Oh, I think it's just dislocated. Think you could snap it back in place for me?"

Kitsune quirked an eyebrow in surprise at the request, but complied all the same. He casually trotted up to her side, placed both hands on her shoulders and twisted them. Atalaya's teeth clicked together in pain as the joint popped back into place.

"Thanks," she sighed and withdrew her hand from her pocket to tentatively raise her hand. "Oi, Roa!"

The archer quickly shoved Lance away from him and nodded to show he was listening. "Is the Log still pointing towards Kanran-sha Island?" Atalaya asked as she started moving towards Atlas. "We need to bring these people back to safe shores and get our injuries checked before we can sail on."

"Yeah, we're good to sail back to Rainbow's End," Roa said and nodded. "We should reach our destination faster then when we came here, seeing as the wind is more active during the day."

"Good. Then let's set sail and leave all of this behind us."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It seemed like not even more than an hour had passed before Roa informed Atalaya that they would land at the docks of Rainbow's End in a few minutes. She'd been resting in her bunk below deck, dozing off every now and then, but at the sound of Roa's call, she quickly rolled over the edge of her loft and landed on all four with a _thud_ before hurrying up on deck, energetic and excited.

She was greeted by a massive crowd, consisting of all of the Extermination Pirates' prisoners. The second she appeared, they all fell silent and stared at her, none of them daring to utter even one word in her presence.

"Umm..." Atalaya glanced over her shoulder and frowned at a chuckling Kitsune, who was leaning over the rail by the wheel. Even Lance, who was in charge of steering, seemed to have a hard time keeping his composed expression as he noticed Atalaya's confusion.

"We... we'll drop you off at Kanran-sha Island," she addressed the crowd without looking at anyone in particular. "Those of you who come from other islands, I'm sure you can find a ride to your homes, so..."

Her voice trailed off and she rocked back and forth on her feet for a bit before nodding and moving up the stairs. A deep sigh rolled past her lips as she sat down next to Kitsune, and she punched him in the side to stop him from laughing.

"Yer not too fond of standin' and speakin' in front of crowds, are ya, sweetheart?" he cajoled, raising his hands to parry Atalaya's fists.

"I don't know what to say to them," she snapped. "I don't know what they're expecting me to say."

"What you said will suffice," Lance hummed as he turned the wheel to the left using only his good hand. "I'm more than certain _they_ are more uncertain than you, not knowing how to show gratitude towards a pirate."

"They don't need to show me anything! I didn't take on Van Rosheer with the goal to save them, I did it because I wanted to stop the Extermination Pirates. They just... happened to be there."

Before Lance could comment, Roa appeared behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. "I'll take it from here, pretty boy," he said and swatted the shipwright's hand away. "You can't safely line Atlas up with the docks with only one hand.

Lance looked like he wanted to tell the archer he needed only one hand to take him down and make him suffer, but decided not to. Probably out of affection for the ship. "By all means," he muttered and turned around, stomping down the stairs to talk to one of the locals.

They landed a few minutes later, and Atalaya waited until every prisoner had gone ashore before moving towards the docks herself. "I know where we can find a doctor," she called over her shoulder and nodded in the direction of the still damaged main street of Rainbow's End.

Once Atlas had been tied securely to the docks, Atalaya gestured for the rest to follow her. She quickly navigated back to Loya's house, and a small smile graced her lips as she raised her hand and knocked on the door.

The poor doctor almost fainted when she opened the door to find four injured pirates waiting on her doorstep. "Y-you're..." Her eyes widened as she recognized Atalaya, and after seemingly driving an inner battle with herself for a few seconds, she moved aside to let them in.

"Hope it's not a bad time," Atalaya said apologetically as they stepped into the living room. "But we could really use some treatment."

"You look terrible," Loya squealed as she observed them one after the other. "I can only treat one of you at the time, and you..." She pointed at Atalaya. "You look most injured, so I start with you. The rest of you can take a seat wherever you want."

Atalaya nodded and moved to the familiar room where she'd been around one day ago to get her collarbone fixed. She huffed as she sat down on the bed and removed her jacket, the bandaid around her chest almost falling off as the back had been cut open by Meteor. As she quickly secured it tightly, she arched an eyebrow in genuine surprise at the vast amount of bruises on her upper body.

"Did you really win against the Extermination Pirates?" Loya asked as she began cleaning the cuts on Atalaya's forehead. "I saw you brought back a lot of locals who had been kidnapped over the past month..."

"That kind of answers the question, doesn't it?" Atalaya said and sighed in content as she felt a cooling sensation against her aching temple. "Some of them will need a ride to their home islands, do you know if there is a way?"

"Oh..." Loya paused her actions momentarily to think, and she nodded before resuming. "Yes," she said. "This is a tourist hot-spot, so there are many ships passing here every week. I'm sure one of them will be able to ferry them to their homes."

Atalaya hummed and closed her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "We'll set sail as soon as the Log Pose settles," she said and sighed in content at the words. "Then we'll sail further along Grand Line and head for new adventures."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It took Loya one whole day to fully treat all of them. She'd patched up Kitsune's wounds, fixed Lance's broken bones, sown shut all cuts and puncture wounds on Roa's body, and completely restored Atalaya to her full health, and when she'd finally finished, she'd sat down in a chair and instantly fallen asleep.

By now, the Log had began pointing in a new direction, so as soon as they were in a good enough condition to travel, Atalaya told the others to go ready the ship. Feeling compelled to do something to thank the doctor, she left a small pouch of jewels on Loya's table before leaving the house and steering her steps for the harbor.

"Are we all set to go?" she asked as she climbed up on Atlas' deck.

"Aye," Roa called from behind the wheel. "Just raise the anchor and-"

"Excuse me!"

Atalaya froze in the middle of a step and looked over her shoulder. On the docks next to Atlas stood a man with curly black hair and steel-rimmed glasses, one hand raised to shield his eyes from the sun. Atalaya vaguely recognized him from the crowd they'd brought back from Resteran Cove. "Are you the captain of the Saber Pirates?" he asked as she moved up to the ship rail.

"I am," she said and nodded slowly as she scanned him from head to toe. He was pale and thin, most likely from the lack of food and light in captivity. His locks were shoulder-long and unruly, giving him an almost boyish charm even though he was an adult. His clothes consisted of tight leather pants, a broad belt around his waist, and an open, loose dress shirt. "Who are you?" Atalaya asked.

"Ruule?" Roa had stepped up next to her to see what was going on, and he now looked down at the man with a somewhat surprised expression.

"You know this guy, Roa?" Atalaya asked and tilted her head to the side as her eyes still wouldn't waver from the young man. "His name is Ruule?"

"Yeah, he's one of the locals we saved."

"Oh." Atalaya propped her elbows up on the ship rail and rested her head in her hands. "Is there something you wanna ask me, Ruule?" she asked.

"Sí. I was wondering if I could sail with you," Ruule said with the tone of someone speaking of the weather. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly at the expression of pure shock on Atalaya's face, and he pushed his glasses a bit higher up on his nose. "I'm not asking to join your crew," he assured her. "I would just need a lift a few islands ahead."

This confused Atalaya even more. "Why not ask someone else?" she asked sceptically. "We _are_ pirates, you know? Brutal, heartless scavenging bastards and all that."

Ruule chuckled lightly. "Not based on what Roa told me back at Resteran Cove," he said. Atalaya shot the archer a questioning look, but before Roa could do more than shrug, Ruule continued. "I worked for the bartender you buried on Purple Island," he said. "I'm a chef."

A quick smirk flashed on Atalaya's lips before she became serious again. "We're still pirates," she said firmly. "And I don't mean to be rude, but we don't carry dead weight around, even if you _could_ cook."

"What's goin' on here?"

Kitsune appeared on the shrouds above Atalaya, and she nodded in Ruule's direction. "He wants to sail with us," she said.

"Yer that fella' from the prison," Kitsune stated as his eyes landed on Ruule. "Don't remember yer name, though." He chuckled at the sigh Roa emitted. "Ya wanna be a pirate?"

"Not quite," Ruule said cheerfully. "And I wouldn't be dead weight. I'm good with guns." He reached behind his back and withdrew two handguns from his belt. They were of the exact same design, apart from the fact that the one in his right hand had golden features whilst the left one had silver. "Try me," he added and removed his glasses.

Atalaya sighed and withdrew a bronze coin from her back pocket and threw it high into the air, sending it flying higher than Atlas' Jolly Roger. A calm smile graced Ruule's lips as he spun the gun in his right hand around his fingers a few times before cocking it and firing. The gunshot made several locals turn their heads in shock, and Ruule equipped his glasses again before reaching out and capturing the coin before it hit the ground.

"See?" he smiled and tossed it to Atalaya, who hummed when she saw a hole had appeared in the exact middle of the coin.

Before she could say anything more, Lance climbed up from the companionway. "I heard a gunshot," he said and joined the others at the rail. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing much," Atalaya said and grinned. "We just got ourself a temporary chef."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _I bet none of you saw that one coming! Heehaw! Extra long episode, heehaw!_

_Okay, I know you can't "fix" broken bones in one day, but bear with me, okay? I didn't wanna have to force Lance to lay around for a few weeks. Miracles happen, miracles happen... _

_In the end, Atalaya never did ask Loya to join them. Based on all the reviews I got that involved her, you're probably only relieved. But know this had been decided from the start! I don't write my story based on what you guys think! (Sorry...)_

_Heheh._

_Alright, until friday, fare thee well!_


	77. Of dreams and wishes!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode seventy seven – Of dreams and wishes! Ruule's story!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Ruule's eyes widened slightly behind his glasses as he stared up at Atalaya in joyful surprise. "You mean it?" he asked. "I can come along?"

"Only if you hurry up and climb aboard," Atalaya grinned and extended a hand to help him board. "Ship's leaving."

As he climbed up on Atlas' deck, Ruule smiled cheerfully as if he didn't even realize he was about to sail with law-breakers. "Is there anything I can do?" he wondered, but his question answered itself as the ship began moving, rocking slightly on the calm sea as it pulled out of the docks.

"So." Atalaya clapped her hands together and leaned her back against the main mast. "You already know Roa, right?" she asked.

"Si. Actually, you were the only one I hadn't spoken to yet."

Atalaya glanced over her shoulder at the others. Roa was busy steering the ship while Kitsune had climbed up to the crow's nest, and Lance was moving along the rails of the deck, doing his routine check for any damages that might have befallen his precious ship.

"Why do you want to leave home?" Atalaya asked. "Shouldn't your family be keen on keeping you close now that you're back home again?"

"Oh, I'm not from Kanran-sha Island," Ruule chuckled and adjusted his glasses, a warm smile on his lips. "I come from a long line of chefs in South Blue, and I left home about a year ago to travel on Grand Line."

"Any particular reason..?"

"Si." He leaned against the ship rail and glanced out over the seas, apparently lost in deep thought. "My grandfather was the best chef in my family," he said when he focused his attention on Atalaya again. "And he had this one dream he never got the chance to fulfill." Ruule turned back to the ocean. "You know of Raftel, right?" he asked. "The last island on Grand Line?"

Atalaya nodded, and she couldn't help but wonder if Ruule was being so theatrical on purpose, or if it was just the way he was. Either way, she motioned for him to continue. "In my family, there is a legend passed on from generation to generation about a special fish that haunts the shores of Raftel," he said. "There's only one of its kind, and no chef has ever had the honor of even seeing it. The Onyx Eel."

For a second, Ruule's expression seemed to light up like a candle before he chuckled, obviously aware of his own exhilaration. "My grandfather dreamed of capturing it and using it to create the most delicious of meals," he went on. "And to honor his memory, I decided _I_ would catch the eel and use it to create something unforgettable in the history of food."

"Huh..." Atalaya tilted her head to the side. "That's quite a dream," she said, smiling. "And I won't mind either way, but why are you choosing to just sail only a bit further down the road with us? I'm gonna become the Pirate King, so Raftel is also my target."

"Oh, no," Ruule hurried to say, waving his hands in denial. "I could never become a real pirate. I don't have the bravery required..."

Atalaya rolled her eyes before she could stop herself, and she sighed dramatically as she none too gently patted Ruule on the shoulder. "Well, you can stay with us until you feel like you're cutting too close to... to the pirate life," she huffed. She was just about to guide him to the kitchen when she noticed the guns in his belt.

"These are your weapons?" she asked and leaned to the side to get a proper look at them. "They're beautiful."

"Thank you," the chef smiled and withdrew them both. "These are my most prized possessions, given to me by none other than the grandfather who desired the Onyx Eel. He gave them to me before he passed away, so as to help keep me safe on my journey."

"But why guns?"

Ruule shrugged as if he didn't really know the answer himself. "As a chef, I've become extremely talented with my hands," he said. "My grip is steady, and I can fire bullet after bullet without any fatigue in my fingers."

Before Atalaya could comment, Lance appeared between them, a curious expression on his face. "What magnificent masterpieces they are," he said as he observed the silver-decorated gun. "Their creator must've been quite the artist."

He straightened up and nodded at Ruule, who smiled back with no care for the interruption of his previous conversation, and Atalaya had to suppress a chuckle at the man's air-headedness. She was just about to leave the two to their chat, but their discussion of weapons and special projectile caught her interest.

"I am not only the proud creator of Atlas, I also happen to be a mechanic," Lance said. "I can create special projectile for your guns if you'd so desire. Just drop by whilst I'm in my workshop and I shall start designing."

"You would do that?" Ruule wondered, obviously completely taken by the shipwright's proposal. "I really appreciate it. Now, although my guns might look alike, they're very different. See Rosa here..." He raised his right hand to show him the silver-decorated gun. "She's quite the show-off," he chuckled. "Strength is her speciality, while Beauty..." He raised the gold-engraved gun, the one he had used to shoot the coin. "She's more refined, more agile. Graceful, like a lady should be."

Atalaya didn't know whether to be concerned or smile at the fact that Ruule spoke of his guns as if they had minds of their own. However, Lance didn't seem to find this at all strange. "You've already given me one or two ideas," he said. "I will get right to it. Care to come along?"

"Hold your horses, Lance," Atalaya said and placed a hand on Ruule's shoulder. "I think this guy should get to know his way around Atlas before you get started."

"Certainly, captain," the shipwright said and saluted her with a bow of his head. "Shall I show him around?"

"Ah, before we go..." Ruule put his guns back in their holsters and ran a hand through his hair as he glanced at Atalaya. "I have a mild case of narcolepsy," he sad almost apologetically. "Sometimes, I tend to just black out, and I sleep-walk. Just so you know."

Atalaya considered his words for a few moments before nodding. "No worries," she said. "I don't think anyone here will mind."

With that, she offered Lance a nod before turning around and striding over the deck and to the figurehead, where she leaned against the rail. She grinned as she wondered what island they would land at next, and not until she heard footsteps behind her did she snap out of her daze. She turned around and tilted her head to the side as she found herself face to face with Kitsune.

"Ya wanted ta talk, sweetheart," he stated, his smirk a bit staler than usual.

"Yeah." Atalaya tapped the rail beside her to get him to sit down. "I want to ask you about your ability," she said. "Is that okay?"

As the smile on Kitsune's lips grew wider, Atalaya couldn't help but notice the air around him seemed to drop a few degrees. "What do ya wanna know?" he asked when he was seated.

"Why didn't you tell me... tell _us_ you had an ability?"

"Ya didn't ask."

Atalaya sighed and scratched her neck. "Of course we didn't, since you've never shown any signs of being a user," she said. "Why don't you want to use it?"

An almost disgusted expression ghosted over Kitsune's face and he took his time before answering. "I ain't too fond of it," he said flatly. "Back at Resteran Cove, it was only the second time I'd ever used it voluntarily."

Atalaya stared at him in surprise. "Voluntarily..?"

"Aye." The smile on Kitsune's lips turned dark, the sudden change in the atmosphere sending shivers down Atalaya's spine. "See, I was forcibly fed the Devil's Fruit."

Almost a full minute passed before Atalaya's mind could fully process his words. "By who?" she asked when she found her voice again, a weird feeling settling in her gut.

"My old man was a pirate," Kitsune said. "Back when I was a brat, he forced the fruit down my throat and ordered me ta use it ta kill his enemies." An icy chuckle rolled through his teeth. "Remember how I told ya all pirates were supposed ta be heartless bastards? Well, now ya know where I got the idea from." He paused momentarily to inhale deeply, and he sighed deeply before continuing. "And then he was gone, back out on the seas, and I was left alone with somethin' I couldn't even stand in the first place."

Atalaya didn't realize she had buried her nails into the ship rail before it began creaking in protest. She quickly released her grip without taking her eyes off Kitsune. "You said this was the _second_ time you used your ability voluntarily," she said slowly. "When was the first..?"

"Sorry, sweetheart, one bedtime story's all yer getting' fer now."

Another sigh escaped Atalaya, and she sat quietly for a while before pushing off the rail and stretching her arms over her head. "Well, now I know," she said and looked over her shoulder to grin at Kitsune. "Thanks for telling me."

"What are ya gonna do now that ya know?"

Atalaya arched her eyebrows in surprise. "What do you mean, 'what'," she said. "You use it if you want to use it, and if not... well, it's entirely up to you. I won't mind either way."

Kitsune chuckled, and Atalaya was relieved to hear it was his usual tone. "I ain't sure how many times I said this, sweetheart," he said and stood up, the lopsided grin on his face almost smug. "But yer a weird kind of pirate."

"Enough people keep saying that, so I guess it must be true," Atalaya huffed. She walked back towards the main mast and looked around, picking up the pace as she spotted Lance on his way to his workshop. "Lance," she called as she moved closer. "Where's Ruule?"

"He ought to be in the kitchen," the shipwright said. "He wanted to get familiar with his station, so I left him to his self."

Atalaya nodded and strode over the the mess hall's door, humming as she pushed it open to find Ruule in the process of examining a set of brand new knives. "Finding everything you need?" she asked as she moved inside and leaned against the table.

"Si." Ruule turned around and smiled at her. "I'm surprised a pirate ship has such a well-equipped kitchen, especially since you didn't have a chef."

"Lance probably wanted Atlas to be fully prepared to sail to the end of Grand Line," Atalaya smirked. "This ship has everything one could ask for." She silently observed the room for a few seconds before raising her voice again. "I know you said you wouldn't be dead weight, and I believe you," she said. "But I hope you're aware of what being aboard a pirate ship really means."

When Ruule only raised a questioning eyebrow at the statement, Atalaya grinned widely and raised her right hand to count on her fingers. "You'll be facing life-threatening situations from now on," she said almost gleefully. "Let's see, we have the marines chasing after us. With every pirate ship we'll come across we'll most likely end up in a battle. When times turn rough, there's not really anyone who we can trust to aid us except our own comrades."

Ruule smiled casually and nodded, the calm reaction extracting an amused chuckle from Atalaya. "You seem just about eager enough to live a pirate's life," she grinned.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Just to let you know, that wasn't even a quarter of Kitsune's past. Nope. I'll give you snippets every now and then, but it'll be a while before the real deal arrives._

_Have a nice weekend, and until monday, fare thee well!_


	78. A calm day on the ocean?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode seventy eight – A calm day on the ocean? Troubling news arrives!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The following days flew by in silence. Atlas was on a steady course towards the next island, but it seemed like this one was quite far away. Atalaya had spent these days making sure Ruule was properly taught how to live aboard a pirate ship, and the chef seemed to fit in surprisingly well.

He'd quickly gotten most acquainted with Roa, probably because both shared an interest in ranged weapons. Ruule had explained his aim was at a high level since he was extremely farsighted, so when he didn't wear his glasses, his eyesight was as good as a hawk's, as long as the object was far enough away. However, he couldn't see almost anything up close, hence the glasses.

Finally, Ruule had even gotten permission to try using Roa's bow, which had lead to a series of outbursts from Lance as the deck was damaged when the chef had accidentally fired an explosive arrow and blown a hole right in the middle of the deck. The scene had left Kitsune laughing so hard he had to tie his arms around his stomach and lean against the main mast to not topple over.

"I like this guy more and more," he cajoled and put a hand on a constantly apologizing Ruule's shoulder. "Yer funny, ya know?"

"Kitsune," Atalaya sighed as she and Lance were in the process of restoring the damage. "You could be a little more concerned about the ship."

"I'm so terribly sorry," Ruule said for perhaps the fifteenth time. "I didn't mean for this happen, I'm sorry!"

Lance straightened his back and offered the chef a soothing smile. "Fret not," he said and tilted his head to the side, his gaze straying to the wheel, where Roa was standing. "The one to blame is obviously not you, but that obnoxious archer. He should have known better than to-"

"I can hear you, pretty boy," the archer snapped loudly, his grip on the wheel visibly tightening. "And I don't appreciate your tone."

"Pardon me, _sir_," Lance said sarcastically and performed a mock bow, a provocative smile hanging on his lips. "I did not know you were so sensitive as to take offense from my words."

"What the- I'm not _sensitive_!"

The shipwright released a dry chuckle. "And yet you insist on proving this point over and over," he said and shook his head. "Your words turn on themselves, giving you a grand disadvantage in-"

That was all he had time to say before Roa released the helm and leapt straight over the rail, growling like a beast as he threw himself at Lance, and the two quickly engaged in a violent fistfight, tumbling over the deck and serving to make Kitsune laugh even harder.

Atalaya couldn't help but grin at Ruule's confused expression. "They're always like that," she said and waved her hand around. "They'll stop soon enough."

"I see." The chef looked around at the damage he had caused the deck, his eyebrows knitted together in concern. "I'm still very sorry," he said. "I've never used a bow before, and I had no idea what that arrow would do."

"Like Lance said, it's fine," Atalaya chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. "It'll be patched up in no time, so don't worry too much about it." As she was about to move past him, she noticed an extra pair of glasses hanging from his belt. "What are those?" she asked and poked one of the lenses.

"Huh?" Ruule looked down, and a slight frown appeared on his face. "Those were my grandmother's," he sighed and plucked them from their hold. As he opened them, Atalaya had to bite her teeth together to not burst out into laughter.

The frames were pitch black, but from the corner of the right frame, ornate white feathers rose like a wing, the longest feather's tip reaching above the wearer's hair. The right frame was also decorated by seven small stones, all of the same white hue.

"You can imagine why I don't wear these," Ruule said and clasped the bows. "My grandmother was an actress, and she loved everything theatrical. I inherited my guns from my grandfather, and she left me these."

"Well, you know..." Atalaya let escape a chortle and grinned apologetically. "They're not _so_ bad," she said, rolling her shoulders as Ruule arched a doubting eyebrow. "Well, they could be worse. At least you don't have to wear them."

Ruule sighed and stuck them back into his belt. "True," he said and smiled. "But I want to keep them close as a sign of respect for my grandmother."

Atalaya nodded, and just as she was about to turn around and separate Lance and Roa, a distant cooing caught her attention. She looked up to the skies and jumped to the side just in time to avoid being hit in the head with what appeared to be today's paper.

"The News Coo," she hummed as she spotted the large white bird flying above the sails. She saluted it with a short wave before crouching down and to pick up the paper. "Anyone interested in reading?"

Lance instantly untangled himself from Roa's grip and strode towards Atalaya as if nothing had happened. "Much obliged," he smiled as he grabbed the magazine. He took his seat on the ship rail and focused on the front page.

"Roa?" Atalaya said as the archer hadn't moved from his spot. "I don't think anyone's steering Atlas..."

Roa jumped as if electrified and shot a quick glance at the Log before cursing and storming up to the wheel, where he turned the ship around almost 180 degrees. A somewhat amused smile had crawled onto Ruule's lips as he'd followed the scene, and he nodded towards Atalaya before steering his steps towards the kitchen.

"Oh my, this is curious," Lance piped up and lowered the paper. "Seems like Solare Kingdom's crown jewel, the Sun's Heart was stolen not many days ago." He smoothened out the paper and cleared his throat. "'The culprit is believed to be the Shadow Pirates, a crew whose speciality lies in thieving'," he read out loud. "'As per tradition, a high bounty has been placed on everyone involved in the theft to ensure the immediate capture of these pirates.'"

He flipped a page to show Atalaya the mark of the Shadow Pirates. The skull was wearing the mask of a ninja, and instead of crossbones, four hands stuck out in each direction, all of them holding onto something valuable, such as jewels and bills of Beri.

"The Sun's Heart?" Atalaya repeated as she observed the Jolly Roger. "Sounds fancy."

"Apparently, this jewel is necessary for Solare Kingdom's survival," Lance stated as his eyes raked over the article. "So, to ensure that it will be delivered back safely, they place a bounty on the culprits, no matter who they are. Quite clever, I must say."

"By how much did their bounties increase?" Atalaya wondered absentmindedly.

Lance skimmed through the front page until he found the numbers. "The captain, Freidert Blackfinger's bounty rose from 7 million Beri to 54."

It took over ten seconds for Atalaya to process Lance's words. "54 million Beri?!" she exclaimed in disbelief and attempted to snatch the newspaper from him, but he held it out of her reach. "His bounty rose by... by 47 million Beri for stealing a _jewel_?!"

"Clearly." The shipwright stared at the front page for a few more seconds before sighing and flipping to the other articles. "One might wonder why one would steal such a jewel," he mumbled. "I'm sure it is quite an accomplishment to steal it, but what do they do with it now? I hardly believe anyone would trade it for money, seeing as the carrier will be as well as marked for death."

"If they're smart, they're probably getting out of Grand Line," Atalaya frowned. "There are too many dangers here, so I really doubt they'll stick around."

Barely had those words left her lips before Atlas suddenly turned sharply to port side. Atalaya lunged forward on pure instinct and grabbed hold of the ribbon around Lance's neck and pulled him to his feet to secure he wouldn't fall into the sea. "What the hell is Roa-"

The sound of a cannon firing answered her unfinished question, and before she could locate the source, Kitsune's voice echoed from up the crow's nest. "I'm seein' a pirate ship at eleven o'clock, sweetheart," he called, his voice as free of care as ever.

Atalaya growled and spun around, dashing up to the figurehead and climbed up on it to access a better view. Sure enough, sailing straight towards them from the front was a ship, not much larger than Atlas. Dark sails and the crossbones-marked flag fluttered in the suddenly rough wind, and Atalaya's eyes widened as she caught sight of the Jolly Roger.

"Prepare for battle!" she shouted as she sprinted back to the main mast. "Kitsune, get down from there and be ready to board!"

"What's going on?" Ruule had appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, a mildly curious expression on his face.

"Enemies," Atalaya said. "You stay with Roa, okay? This is your first encounter with other pirates, and since you both use ranged weapons, be sure to stick together."

The chef nodded, so Atalaya leapt up on the ship rail and grabbed hold of the shrouds so she could lean out to get a proper view at the enemy ship. "Lance," she said and raised a hand to point at the mark on their flag. "Doesn't that mark look kinda familiar?"

The shipwright appeared next to her and looked around, his eyes widening as he saw a skull dressed in a dark mask, along with four hands clutching onto jewels and money. "What a coincidence," he chuckled and unsheathed his trench knives.

A somewhat amused frown settled on Atalaya's brow, and her eyes narrowed as she heard a loud roar rise from the enemy ship. "Seems like we hit the jackpot, yeah?" she growled.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Ain't got nothing to say but the usual; until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	79. Meet the Shadow Pirates!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode seventy nine – Meet the Shadow Pirates! The man who loves to steal!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Before the enemy ship was even nearly close enough to board, Atalaya ground her teeth together as she heard repeated gunfire, and when she looked up to the sky, she saw no less than seven cannonballs flying straight towards Atlas, their target the ship's main mast.

"Show us what you're made of, Ruule!" Atalaya called without taking her eyes off the incoming explosives.

"Si," Ruule said calmly and pushed his glasses up to his forehead before withdrawing his right-handed gun, Beauty. He hummed as he cocked it and took aim, firing seven constructive shots. All of the bullets found a target, and the cannonballs exploded before they could even reach halfway to the ship.

"Nice," Atalaya grinned. The enemy ship was now close enough, so she released a feral chuckle as she braced herself and sprinted over the deck. "Lance and Kitsune, with me!" Without breaking speed, she transformed into the large feline, climbed up on the figurehead and jumped, flying in a neat bow and landing on the rail of the enemy ship.

The pirates on board reacted as if they had just seen a ghost. They all took a step back, their eyes widening comically as Atalaya morphed back into a human. "The Shadow Pirates, I presume," she said and casually jumped down from the rail. "Where is your captain?"

A tall, slender man dressed like a rogue stepped out of the crowd, his mask not succeeding in hiding his extremely bushy eyebrows. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice muffled.

"That's my question," Atalaya said, leaning back on her heels as Lance and Kitsune appeared next to her. "What the hell do you think you're doing, randomly firing at us? Let me hear you reason, Freidert Blackfinger."

Though his mask didn't show it, the man was obviously surprised. "How do you know my name?" he asked and crossed his hands over his chest.

"Not important. Why did you fire at us?"

"You're an obstacle," Freidert said. "We're in a hurry, so we don't have time to waste on you."

"You're not making any sense," Atalaya growled. "If you don't have time for us, sail past us. If you fire at our ship, there are bound to be some serious consequences, Freidert!"

"You..!" Someone dressed in almost identical clothes as Freidert broke out of the crowd, a gun raised and aimed at Atalaya. "Don't speak to the captain with that tone!"

Atalaya sighed as the gun was fired, and before the bullet could reach her, Lance stepped up in front of her and raised the knife in his right hand. The second the bullet connected with the sharp edge, the shipwright pushed the knife forward, and the bullet was cut in half, the two pieces dropping to the deck beside him.

"Dare not fire at someone not engaged in battle," Lance said darkly as he straightened up. "The price you shall pay will be higher than you can afford."

The man lowered his gun and shot a sideways glance at Freidert, who seemingly hadn't reacted at all. "You think too highly of yourselves," he said and cocked an eyebrow. "What's your bounty?"

"What difference does that make?" Atalaya snapped and took a step forward. "A battle isn't determined based on how much money one's head is worth, Blackfinger."

"Don't disrespect our captain like that!"

Another man raised his weapon at her, this time a sword, and once again, Atalaya did nothing but tilt her head to the side, and before the pirate even got close, his blade shattered. The impact threw the assailant back, and when Atalaya glanced over her shoulder, she saw Kitsune sheath Hebi Kotei, a wide smirk on his lips.

"See, that won't lead to any-" Atalaya turned back just in time to see a third pirate break out of the crowd, a short dagger aimed at her throat. She let escape a sound of frustration before jumping off the ground and planting her feet into the assailant's face. As she heard his nose break, she pushed off, performed a neat backflip and landed with a loud _thud_ on all four in front of Kitsune and Lance.

"Can't we finish the conversation before you start attacking us?" she asked, annoyed, as she straightened up and focused on Freidert again. "Don't worry, the fight will come, if we could just talk first."

Freidert had suddenly lost interest in her words. He had taken a few steps forward and now leaned forward to stare at Atalaya's neck. "My, oh my," he said quietly. "That's quite a beautiful ring."

"What-" Atalaya looked down and saw the necklace with Wesser's ring had snuck out from underneath her jacket. The small object glistened in the daylight, and Freidert stared at it as if he was a starved man, seeing food for the first time in days.

Suddenly, he straightened up and snapped his fingers. Instantly, five men appeared on each side of the trio, all of them with identical daggers pointed at Atalaya and the others.

"Give me the ring," Freidert said and raised a hand. "And your lives will be spared."

"No deal." Atalaya spun around on the spot and smashed her elbow into the closest pirate's face, effectively cracking his jaw and sending him tumbling down the deck.

It took Lance and Kitsune about three seconds to deal with their own opponents, and when Atalaya looked around, she noticed one of the assailants had an arrow buried in his shoulder, while the final one was bleeding from a bullet wound in his hip.

Before she could turn around to grin at Roa and Ruule, Atalaya felt a cold shiver run down her spine and quickly whirled around. Freidert was standing on his original spot, and laced around his fingers was Atalaya's necklace. The man tentatively tried the ring on each finger, and even through the mask, Atalaya could see his satisfied smile.

A seething anger welled up through Atalaya's veins, and she let her transformation turn her into a hybrid as she glared at the captain with murderous intent. The crew exclaimed in shock at her obvious intentions and they waved their hands to get Freidert's attention, but he was too busy examining the ring to notice.

"Such a beauty," he sighed, completely oblivious to his surroundings. "Your new home will most certainly be-"

He didn't even get to finish his sentence before Atalaya dashed forward and punched him in the temple as hard as she could. The ring flew out of his grip and she caught it, huffing as she watched the man fall to the deck, the sudden hit a clear surprise.

"And that's why bounty doesn't decide strength," Atalaya said before turning her back to the stunned crowd. She sent Lance and Kitsune a wide grin before nodding and loudly declaring, "Go wild."

The two sprinted right past her, and from where she stood, she could see Roa stand by the wheel with an arrow braced to fire, while Ruule had climbed halfway up the shrouds, from where he fired bullet after bullet into the enemy crowd. Atalaya raised a hand in salute to the two before turning back to glare at Freidert, who had just staggered to his feet.

"Give me back my ring," he said, the dreaming tone still in his voice.

Atalaya's eyebrows shot up underneath her bandana, and she stared at the man for almost twenty whole seconds before snorting loudly and tying the strap of leather around her neck. "You've got some messed up logics," she said. "It's _my_ ring, not yours."

"I found it, so it's mine."

"No, you _took_ it from around my neck. That's not finding."

"If you won't give it back, I'll just have to _find_ it again."

Freidert slowly unsheathed a long katana, taking his time to enjoy the sound of the blade scraping against its container. He performed a series of less than impressive poses with the sword, of which a few almost caused him to cut one of his own crew members before lunging forward.

Atalaya growled and raised her hands to parry the katana, and when the blade connected with her claws, she couldn't help but wonder if Freidert was pulling some sort of stunt. There was barely any power in his swing, and the momentum of the parry made him stagger backwards.

Not to mention the distant expression was still on his face. He seemed to only have eyes for Wesser's ring, as if he barely even noticed it was tied around Atalaya's neck.

"If you don't fight me seriously, you'll lose," Atalaya snapped and simply took a step to the side to dodge Freidert's next swing. "And I'll sail off with the Sun's Heart."

Freidert froze in the middle of a step, his eyes widening. "How do you know I have it?" he breathed out.

"Uhh, I think the entire world knows. It was in today's paper." Atalaya sighed at the cluelessness of the man. "Your bounty went up to 54 million Beri," she said.

"54-!" Freidert almost dropped his katana in shock, the previous dreaminess as good as gone. "How... No no, you must be mistaken," he said. "Freidert Blackfinger is worth 7 million Beri, not _54_!"

Atalaya tilted her head to the side with a confused brow. "Didn't you ask me how much my bounty was so you could brag about yours?" she asked slowly.

"Of course not," Freidert said, his voice once again calm and distant. "I wanted to know whether I should throw myself down on my knees and beg for my life, or if I actually have a chance. I'm a thief, not some freak with fangs and a tail who can take on whomever he likes."

"Freak?" Atalaya's left ear twitched at the word, and a toothy grin appeared on her lips as she cracked her knuckles and stepped closer to the captain. "You know, I don't think you're in a position to call me that," she chuckled and grabbed hold of his katana.

The edge dug into her palm, but without letting her smirk falter, she pressed her claws through the blade, and the katana snapped in two. "Now," she said, a soft snarl rolling through her teeth as Freidert's distant expression turned into very one of fear. "Seems like I have to teach you some manners!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _… Sorry, Freidert, your future doesn't look too bright._

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	80. A jewel like no other!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode eighty – A jewel like no other! Bring the Sun's Heart home!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It took around four minutes for Atalaya to finish up with Freidert. She huffed as she let his body drop, two of his teeth falling off as he hit the deck. Atalaya had spared no strength as she'd beat him to a pulp, and she almost felt bad for the man.

Lance and Kitsune were still in the process of eliminating the rest of the Shadow Pirates, the delay mostly because Kitsune was toying with his opponents, doing nothing but dodging their attacks while pretending to be terrified.

"Kitsune, stop playing with your food," Atalaya said and smacked the back of his head as she moved past him, slamming the back of her hand into one of Kitsune's opponents' face in the process. "I'm gonna search the ship, can you and Lance manage?"

An extremely dissatisfied expression settled on Kitsune's features, and he quickly dismissed her question by cutting down three pirates in one single swing of Hebi Kotei. "That a good enough answer fer ya?" he asked, mock offense in his voice.

Atalaya chuckled and rolled her shoulders before lowering herself onto all four morphing into a tiger. She darted through the crowd on the deck, dodging several swords and daggers before reaching the captain's cabin, and after looking around to check if anyone was watching, she transformed back sneaked inside.

The room was large, enough so to fit the entire Shadow crew into it. The walls were covered in blueprints, all of buildings Freidert had robbed, or had planned to rob. Atalaya moved along the walls, silently marveling at the sheer number of places the Shadow Pirates had managed to break into.

The wooden desk in the middle of the room was covered by a large print, and when Atalaya stepped closer, she could see the words '_Solare Kingdom Castle_' written as a headline on the paper. The map showed every tunnel and passage in the palace in detail, along with numbers and measurements Atalaya couldn't even pretend to understand.

She sat down behind the desk and began opening the drawers one at the time. Papers, maps, quills and countless keys was all she found, and a small sound of frustration escaped her when she'd checked all drawers. She propped up her elbow at the desk and rested her head in her hand while tracing her fingers along a long tunnel on the map.

As Atalaya reached the end of the tunnel, she accidentally knocked a pencil down from the desk. She glared down at it as if it had insulted her before bending down and picking it up again, but before she could sit up straight, a small bump in the desk caught her eyes. With her curiosity going haywire, Atalaya used the pen to poke at the dent.

There was a faint clicking noise, and before she could pull back, a hatch swung open and hit Atalaya straight between the eyes. "Shit," she growled and tried to straighten up, only to hit the back of her head into the desk, resulting in a colorful wave of curses. It wasn't until she'd calmed down again before she actually remembered the hatch.

Atalaya crouched down on all four and slowly crawled in under the desk, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the hatch. An unnatural glow seemed to be coming from behind it, and as she swung it open, her breath caught in her throat.

"The Sun's Heart," she mumbled.

The jewel seemed to consist of never hardening lava. The deep red color was almost pulsating inside the stone, the mixes of yellow and orange giving it an extremely enchanting feature. It was propped up on a small velvet pillow inside the hidden cabin, and Atalaya wondered if she would burn her fingers if she touched it.

She reached out and tentatively poked it, chuckling as nothing happened. "Of course not," she sighed and snatched the jewel off the pillow and stuck it into the pocket of her jacket. She closed the hatch and backed up, straightening up and looking around in the room. There didn't seem to be anything else of value, so she strode towards the doors, a broad grin dancing on her lips

As she got out, she couldn't help but chortle as she saw Lance and Kitsune waiting for her amidst a pile of what remained of the Shadow Pirates. "That was quick," she stated.

"Aye," Kitsune jingled and sheathed Hebi Kotei. "I'm guessin' we're lettin' 'em go?"

Atalaya nodded. "We are," she said and moved up to the ship rail. "What they do from now on is none of our concern." With that, she leaped off the rail, landing neatly on Atlas' deck.

"You were great," she said as Ruule climbed down the shrouds. He nodded in return, his composed smile not wavering even a little. "Roa..." Atalaya motioned for the archer to get closer, and once all four others were gathered around her, she reached inside her pocket and withdrew the Sun's Heart.

Lance gasped and instantly leaned closer, his eyes the size of dinner plates as he observed the stone. "You salvaged the crown jewel of Solare Kingdom?" he breathed out. In the light of the sun, the jewel seemed to give off an unnatural glow, making it seem even more like flowing lava.

"Yeah," Atalaya grinned. "I didn't think the Shadow Pirates would've survived for much longer if I hadn't taken it."

"It's beautiful," Ruule said and carefully grazed the jewel. He seemed quite taken by the view, and Atalaya narrowed her eyes slightly as she thought she saw an almost greedy expression flash over the chef's face.

"What are ya gonna do with it?" Kitsune asked, although his sarcastic tone indicated he already knew what Atalaya was going to say. "I'm assumin' ya ain't gonna keep it."

"And right you are, Kitsune." Atalaya moved past the others, steering her steps towards the companionway. "We're taking it back to Solare Kingdom," she said. "We'll keep it locked away in the brig until then."

Lance nodded and withdrew a key from within his suit. "This ought to lock and unlock the brig," he said and bowed his head as he offered her the key.

"Thanks," Atalaya smiled. "Roa, keep us on track towards the next island. We'll figure out how to get to Solare Kingdom once I get back up. Everybody, get to work!"

She moved down the ladders and through the weapons' storage until she reached the door leading to the so far unused brig. "Alright, where do I put you..." she hummed as she looked around, juggling the Sun's Heart around in her hands. "Where do I- _aha_!"

Remembering she'd seen a sort of grappling hook in the weapons' storage, Atalaya backed out of the brig and let her eyes rake over the wall, grinning as she found the long metallic pole. She examined the hook at the end and nodded as she measured it against the jewel. "This should do."

She moved back into the brig and jammed the blunt side of the hook into the floor in the middle of the cell. Once she was sure it was stable enough, she secured the Sun's Heart between the grips of the hook and stepped back, smirking. "Perfect," she mumbled and shut the cell door, securely locking it before moving back up on deck.

"So," she said as she sat down on the rail by the helm, next to Roa. "Like I said, I have no idea how we're gonna find Solare Kingdom, but I still want to return the jewel."

"I figured," Roa said and rolled his shoulders. "Ask the shipwright. He read the paper right? So, I think it would be weird if the ones who lost the Sun's Heart haven't put up a route for how to get to Solare Kingdom without an Eternal Pose."

When Atalaya tilted her head to the side with raised eyebrows, he sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Okay, say a local from some random island managed to get back the Sun's Heart," he said. "I'm one hundred percent sure he doesn't have an eternal pose to Solare Kingdom, but he still wants to return the jewel. Naturally, there has to be directions in the paper, easy enough for even a child to follow, right?"

"Yeah, I got that," Atalaya grinned. "I was just wondering why you still can't call Lance by his name."

Roa scowled and shook his head, the gesture marking the end of that conversation. With a chuckle, Atalaya jumped off the rail and moved to the workshop door, knocking three times before stepping inside. "Lance?"

The room was surprisingly messy. Lance was sitting by his desk, his hands oily, and a vast number of what looked like half-finished bullets were scattered around on the table. He'd removed his jacket and hung it over the back of his chair, and his hat was safely out of harm's way on top of the small shelf next to the desk.

"Pardon me, captain," he said and leaned back in his chair, grabbing a towel to wipe his hands clean. "I am in the process of designing the bullets Ruule requested. Ought not be long before I'm finished."

"Already?" Atalaya leaned over the desk to get a better look, although there was not much difference she could spot between the bullets. "I'm sure they'll be perfect," she said as she straightened up again. ""By the way, in the article about the Sun's Heart, you didn't happen to catch anything about how to get to Solare Kingdom, did you?"

"I think I might," Lance said and reached for the magazine on the shelf. "On page three, there were some form of directions. Ask our capable navigator if he thinks he'll be able to decrypt them."

Atalaya rolled her eyes at the shipwright's attitude and moved back outside. "Page three," she said as she tossed the paper to Roa. "Is our temporary chef in the kitchen?"

The archer nodded, so Atalaya steered her steps down the ladder and to the mess hall. As she opened the door, she sighed in content as the smell of food reached her nostrils, the mere scent making her stomach growl in hunger. "It smells delicious," she said and leaned against the doorway.

A small crease settled into her forehead as Ruule didn't respond at all He was standing next to a pot, in the process of cutting up a large fish. "You're that concentrated on cooking, huh?" Atalaya sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Can't even hear me, can you?"

Ruule nodded without turning his face away from what he was doing, and although Atalaya could've dismissed her concern then and there, she had a feeling something was off. "So," she said and took a few steps closer. "Do you feel okay? I mean, I don't know whether this was your first battle, but I thought I'd ask."

Once again, the only response she got was a nod of the head. Ruule's hair hung like curtains around his face, preventing Atalaya from seeing what kind of expression he was making, but she finally dismissed it, shrugging her shoulders and turning around to leave, but she couldn't help but stop in the doorway and glance over her shoulder.

"Are you _sure_ you're oka-"

"Oh, would you just shut it and stop _bothering _me already?!"

Atalaya's eyebrows disappeared underneath her bandana at the sudden outburst. Ruule buried the knife into the cutting board and turned around to face her, and Atalaya's jaw dropped out of pure shock.

Gone was all the previous carefreeness, only to be replaced with such intense anger that Atalaya instinctively stepped backwards. An ominous aura surrounded Ruule, whose dark eyes seemed to drill holes through her head. As complete silence settled between them, a wide, toothy grin stretched Ruule's lips, and an unwelcome shiver ran down Atalaya's spine as her mind tried to process exactly what was going on.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Dun dun duuuun!_

_Zomg, what the hell's goin' on around here?! Ruule's goin' crazy and shit! Heehaw! Have a nice cliffhanger for the weekend, peeps!_

_Until monday, fare thee well!_


	81. The other Ruule?

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode eighty one – The other Ruule?! Chaos breaks out on deck!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The silence between Atalaya and this foreign Ruule stood strong for around twenty seconds before Atalaya finally found her voice again. "Are... I mean, what's happening here?" she asked, beyond confused. "Was it something I said? Did something happen during the fight?"

Ruule emitted a dark chuckle and ran a hand through his hair, the feral grin still set on his lips. "Not at all," he said. Even his voice had changed from the usual light tone to a cold, almost hateful one. "I just finally got out again."

Before Atalaya could even begin to process the meaning behind his words, he withdrew Rosa from his belt and aimed it at her, tilting his head to the side as he fired the gun. Atalaya's eyes widened as the bullet settled into the doorframe barely an inch from her left ear, and she fled out the door, quickly slamming it shut behind her.

"What's going on?" She looked up to see Roa, Kitsune and Lance lean over the rail above her, all of them wearing equally confused expressions. "I heard gunfire," Roa said.

"I... I don't know, something's up with Ruule," Atalaya mumbled and rested the back of her head against the door, her ears twitching as she could hear footsteps approaching the other side. "It's like he's the opposite of what he's usually like."

That was all she got the chance to say before her instincts made her move away from the door, and a few seconds of silence passed before the door was kicked open, the force of the blow knocking it loose from the hinges. Lance and Roa instantly appeared on each of Atalaya's sides with their weapons prepared, while Kitsune just stood by the wheel, following the scene with interest.

Ruule slowly stepped out of the kitchen, the already impossibly wide smirk growing wider as he observed the trio in front of him. "That's what I call an entrance," he jingled, releasing a short bark of laughter at the sight of Roa and Lance's expressions. "Why so hostile?"

"I think we could ask the same of you," Atalaya said and took a step closer, but the second she moved, Ruule raised his right hand and pointed Beauty at her.

"No moves, Sabertooth," he said coldly. "You're just lucky I missed you back there." He nodded in the direction of the kitchen. "I was using Rosa, who is more fit for destruction than precision..."

"Oi, what's up with him?" Kitsune had moved down the ladder and now stood next to Ruule with eyebrows raised in expectation. "He's actin' weird," he stated and rocked back and forth on his feet, the carefree smirk widening as he could practically smell the danger.

Ruule quickly raised his other arm and aimed Rosa straight between Kitsune's eyes. "No moves," he repeated. "Or I just might blow your head off."

Kitsune pressed his lips together, and Atalaya groaned as she realized the man was trying his best to not break out into laughter. She parted her lips and was just about to speak when Ruule jumped up high, performing a graceful backflip and landing on the ship rail by the wheel.

"You all seem a little _too_ confused," he said and stuck Rosa back into its holster, the smallest of creases appearing on his forehead. "Didn't Ruule tell you about me?" He sighed dramatically as the question only raised the amount of confusion on the ship. "So he still doesn't know," he muttered, obviously disappointed. "Very well."

He removed his glasses and stuck them through a small opening in his belt before grabbing hold of the other pair, the ones that belonged to his grandmother. He flipped them open and equipped them, and Atalaya had to silently admit he didn't look as ridiculous as she'd thought he would. The colors of the glasses mixed perfectly with his hair, and even the wings gave him quite an exotic look.

"Let me introduce myself," he said, his right-handed gun still aimed at Atalaya as he performed a dramatic bow. "I'm the other half of the carefree idiot who wanted to board this ship. My name is Eluur!"

A crushing silence followed this statement, and Atalaya sent Roa a skeptical glance before loudly clearing her throat. "The other half," she repeated. "What exactly does that mean?"

"Use your brain, Sabertooth," Eluur said impatiently, clearly frustrated at the dull response his introduction received. "Ruule's always walking around as calm as he could be, never getting mad, right? That would be because he doesn't have emotions such as anger or greed. I took them all to myself."

"So," Roa said slowly, the grip on his bow tightening as he took a few steps forward. "He... _you_ have a split personality?"

"Ten points to the guy with the braid," Eluur cajoled. "I'm the _bad_ side of us. I pop to the surface whenever our body feels threatened, when we feel pain, or in situations where we're just too exhausted but keep pushing on."

Atalaya's eyes narrowed as she glared at the man, trying to figure out what was causing all of this. Ruule had seemed fine after the battle against the Shadow Pirates, so she couldn't figure our why he'd suddenly feel threatened.

"What would you suggest we do now?" she asked of Eluur in attempt to buy some time. "Will you stay as our chef? I think that's what Ruule would want."

"Oh, I don't think so," Eluur grinned. "That's another difference between us two; I don't take orders from anybody. Especially not from pirates."

That was all he said before cocking the gun and firing, barely giving Atalaya enough time to dodge. She threw herself onto the deck, growling as she heard Eluur's laughter from above her.

"What shall we do, captain?" Lance asked when Atalaya got to her feet again. His eyes were focused on Eluur, who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the chaos he had created.

"We have to counterattack," Atalaya said as she jumped to the side to avoid another pullet. The projectile missed her right arm with only a few inches, and she could almost feel the air surrounding it move like waves as the bullet flew past her. "But don't injure him. If what he says is true, then the Ruule we got to know is still inside him!"

She crouched down to transform, but before she could do more than grow the fur on her body, Eluur jumped off the rail and landed straight in front of her, both guns raised at her and ready to fire. "Got you," he sang, but just as he was about to fire, an arrow collided with Beauty, pushing it to the side just as it went off.

The bullets buried into the deck on Atalaya's right side, and she sent a silent thanks to Roa before sprinting to the side, circling the main mast and dashing out to the open deck. She halted in front of the figurehead and turned around, lowering herself to all four as she watched Eluur.

The gunman seemed to have eyes for her only. He was moving straight towards her, his attention only wavering now and then when he was forced to parry an incoming attack from Lance or Kitsune.

"Alright," Atalaya mumbled and braced herself, waiting until Eluur raised Beauty at her before sprinting forward, practically flying over the deck. She shot past Eluur, and when she reached the main mast, she buried her claws into the pole and began climbing.

Several bullets flew past her body, and when she reached the topgallant, Atalaya transformed back into a human and looked down. Eluur had put away both of his guns and was now in the process of climbing up the mast, one of the kitchen knives between his teeth. His lips curled into a grin around the knife as their eyes met, and with almost reptile-like movements, he buried the knife in the mast and used it as leverage to lean back, withdraw Beauty and fire another shot.

The bullet passed close enough to tear a cut in Atalaya's bandana. She growled as she leaned back, completely at loss for what to do, but just as she was about to give up hope and consider actually hurting Eluur, an idea popped into her head. She waited until Eluur reached the topgallant before inhaling deeply and letting herself fall backwards.

She heard Lance's exclaim of shock and realized it must've looked like she'd been shot. She twisted in mid-air and landed in front of the helm, and she glared up at Eluur before grabbing hold of the wheel and spinning it as hard as she could to the right.

Atlas turned sharply, causing everybody on board to stagger, the gunman up on the topgallant in particular. Atalaya heard him curse as he lost his footing and fell, crashing into the deck with a loud thud.

Eluur exclaimed in pain as he landed on his back, the impact of the fall knocking the air out of his lungs. "Shit..!" he coughed as Atalaya jumped down from the terrace and moved up in front of him. He made an attempt to raise both guns, but before he could sit up straight, Lance and Kitsune appeared on each side of him and stepped down on his wrists, preventing him from even moving his hands.

"So," Atalaya huffed and crossed her arms over her chest as she stared down at Eluur. "Are you satisfied now? Can you let Ruule back?"

"I can't just _let_ him back, Sabertooth," Eluur growled and tried to rise into a sitting position, but neither Kitsune nor Lance budged even a little. "As long as the body feels threatened, I'll be in charge!"

"That raises a problem," Atalaya said. She crouched down in front of him and rested her head in her hands as she studied him. "As long as you're Eluur, you'll kill us if we let you free. But if we _don't _let you free, you won't go back to being Ruule."

"Welcome to my world," Eluur spat out and grinned.

Atalaya sighed and glanced up at Kitsune. "Any ideas?" she asked.

"Knock him out," Kitsune said and glared down at Eluur with a spiteful smirk. "He ain't gonna feel threatened if he's unconscious."

"You've got a good point."

"Atalaya!"

The sudden outburst made Atalaya jump to her feet in surprise, and she whirled around to see Roa stand on the roof of the quarterdeck, his spyglass glued to his left eye. "I know the timing really sucks, but we've got more company," he called.

Atalaya groaned and threw a warning glare at Eluur before moving up the ladders. She plucked the spyglass out of Roa's hands and raised it to her own eye, moving it back and forth as she searched for whatever it was that followed them.

"Straight behind us," Roa said and moved down to take over the wheel again.

Atalaya nodded and directed the spyglass, her eyes widening as white sails came into her vision. "The marines," she grit out as she read the blue text on the sails. She kept her focus on the ship, and she almost dropped the spyglass as she zoomed in on the deck.

A tall man with deep red hair and a knee-long white jacket stood by the bow, a long and sturdy battle polearm locked in a tight grip in his hand. His full attention was placed on Atlas, to the extent he didn't even seem to notice the orange-haired young man who was trying to talk to him.

"You've already caught up to us," Atalaya hissed as she lowered the spyglass. "Commander Lash."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Sweet lord, it's one cliffhanger after the other! The Saber Pirates sure are in a pickle now, aren't they? Ahh, I love my job..._

_Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	82. Cooperate with evil!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode eighty two – Cooperate with evil! The fight against the marines is here!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"This is a really, really bad timing," Atalaya growled as she hurried down the ladder, tossing the spyglass to Roa as she practically flew past him. "Kitsune! Lance!"

She halted in front of the two and Eluur, who was still laying on his back on the deck. "Commander Lash is right on our ass," she said and raised a hand to point at Eluur. "And there's no way we can fight if _he_'s like this!"

Eluur looked like he'd just come across a large pot of gold. "Luck's on my side today," he cajoled. "This puts you in quite the tricky situation, huh?"

"Shut it," Atalaya snapped and started pacing back and forth in front of them. "We need his skills to survive this battle, so we need a way to get him to join forces with us."

"There has to be something of value we could offer him," Lance said and glanced down at Eluur. "Something we could appeal to..."

"He clearly ain't the cooperative type," Kitsune jingled. "And I doubt we have anythin' he could want, sweetheart."

A snort was heard from down below them, and Eluur chuckled as he attempted to free his hands. "_He_ can hear everything you're- 'sweetheart'?" He stopped flailing momentarily, his lips slowly curling into a wide smirk. "Oh, I see," he said, his voice smooth as silk. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the deck underneath him, suddenly completely relaxed. "That outfit doesn't flatter you at all, _milady_."

Atalaya froze in the middle of a step, her shoulders tensing as her hands clenched into fists. An almost inaudible snarl rolled past her teeth as she turned to face Eluur, who didn't seem to notice the sudden shift in atmosphere before Kitsune crouched down and mumbled, "If ya wanna live ta see tomorrow, ya better say yer sorry."

Before Eluur could even crack an eye open, Atalaya moved so she was standing over him, her feet placed on either side of his waist. She leaned forward and fisted the hem of Eluur's shirt, pulling as far off the deck as she could without breaking his arms.

"Listen well, Eluur," she growled, satisfied to finally see even the smallest hints of doubt in the chef's eyes. "You better thank your lucky star you share your body with Ruule, or I wouldn't hesitate for even a second to beat you to a pulp and feed you to a Sea King!"

She tugged Eluur a little bit higher, extracting a hiss from the man as his arms began protesting at the uncomfortable angle. "Your manners do not suit a lady," he said tantalizingly, obviously overjoyed at the effect his words had had on Atalaya. "Like a woman in a theatre, you should wear a beautiful gown and be locked away in a tower, from where you _beg_ for a _prince_ to come save you."

The final strand of Atalaya's patience was on the breaking point, and when Roa appeared behind her and informed her that Commander Lash's ship was gaining on them, she inhaled deeply a few times before dropping Eluur back onto the deck.

"Fine," she said and cracked her knuckles. "I'll do what Kitsune suggested and knock him out for now, and when Ruule returns, I'll apologize to him for the bruises."

Eluur's smirk faltered a little as he glared up at Atalaya. "What bruises?" he demanded, but his question answered itself when Atalaya raised one of her fists. "You're gonna hit a defenseless man?" he asked, chuckling nervously as he attempted to twist his head out of the line of fire. "Well, what more to expect of a pirate, I suppose, but be fair and spare my face, milady."

"Ya really don't know when ta stop talkin', do ya?"

A silent apology to Ruule passed through Atalaya's mind as she took aim at Eluur's chin, and just before her fist connected with the man's face, Lance raised his voice. "One moment, captain," he said, and Atalaya halted, her fist only half an inch from Eluur, who blew out a breath of relief.

"We don't really have one moment, Lance," Atalaya sighed without taking her eyes off Eluur.

"He seems to be fond of the theatrical, so allow me to..." He crouched down so he was face to face with Eluur, and he cleared his throat before speaking up. "Are you aware of what happens around you whilst Ruule is in control?" he asked.

Eluur arched an eyebrow in suspicion, but he nodded, so Lance continued. "Then you must know of the special projectile I have made for you," he said, the smallest of smiles gracing his lips as he realized his words had bought Eluur's full attention. "I have created all you can imagine and more; bullets with the power to create spotlight strong enough to blind your foes, bullets that allow you to make use of a smokescreen, bullets with special effects no theatre has ever before seen."

The silence of the chef made Atalaya smirk in satisfaction, a smirk that quickly faltered when she turned around to check the location of the marine ship only to realize they were almost right behind them. The white sails were visible from where Atalaya was standing, and she quickly whirled around and motioned for Lance to speed it up.

"All of these effects are to rest in your hands if you swear to obey our captain until you and Ruule see fit to leave Atlas," the shipwright said. "Tis the greatest offer anyone could give you, and all we ask in return is for you to not kill any of us."

"C'mon, Lance..!" Atalaya growled and dashed up to the ship rail, where she grabbed hold of the shrouds and leaned out to get a good look at the marine ship. She had to instantly pull back as the bow passed by her, the large blue ship now completely lined up next to Atlas. Its size was almost twice the pirate ship's, and the long row of gunports made goosebumps break out over Atalaya's arms.

She forcibly swallowed all of her concern and equipped a toothy grin as Commander Lash appeared by the rail of the marine ship, a triumphant, almost spiteful smirk on his lips as he glared down at her. His crew was standing a bit to the side, all of them equipped with guns, rifles or swords. They had their eyes placed upon Atlas, but none of them moved as they waited for orders.

"Best of days to you, Commander," Atalaya called and bowed in mock salute, knowing it would only serve to irk the red-haired man.

True enough, anger instantly covered any other expression he might've shown. "Don't act so familiar, Sabertooth," Lash growled and braced his right foot against the rail in preparation to board Atlas. "I've chased you for long enough, and now it's high time to take you to Impel Down!"

Before he could jump off the marine ship, a hand locked around his upper arms and pulled him back. "Sir, you can't board a pirate ship alone, no matter how strong you are! Those pirates are not to be trifled with, you said so yourself!"

Atalaya grinned as she spotted a tuft of orange hair, and she raised a hand to wave at Christian. "Hey, Chris," she called, chortling at Lash' expression. "Told you we'd see each other soon, right?"

"Hi, Atalaya- No, I mean..." Christian's voice trailed off as Lash glared down at him with disbelief and rage. The orange-haired man sent Atalaya an uncertain glance before quickly turning his full attention back to the commander.

"Release me, Christian," Lash growled, but when the grip around his arm only tightened, he released a sound of frustration, straightened up and looked to his side, where his crew stood waiting for orders. "Ready the sixth cannon!" he shouted. "Blow that smile off his face!"

Atalaya's eyes widened as a gunport opened straight in front of her. There was only a seven feet distance between her and the cannon, and a rush of adrenaline and panic welled up inside of her as she could see the fuse of the cannon was already burning towards its end.

She barely had time to back down from the ship rail before the fuse burned out, and as if in slow motion, Atalaya saw the cannon quiver as the ball moved towards the muzzle, but just as about to leave the gun, the cannon exploded.

The impact of the explosion threw Lash and Christian back and Atalaya quickly turned around to shield her from the explosion, and her eyebrows arched in surprise as she saw Eluur stand by the main mast, Beauty raised and aimed at the now devastated gunport.

"I'll lend you my services for now, Sabertooth," he said, grinning like a maniac as he raised Rosa and loaded several red bullets into the silver-lined gun. "Lance offered me a sweet deal for my cooperation, so I'll help you until me and Ruule leaves this ship."

Atalaya sent Lance a smirk and a nod before turning back to the marine ship, her canines growing over her chin as she grinned. "Alright then, Eluur," she said and stepped to the side to let him into the spotlight. "Open up a path for us to board."

"Si, _capitan_." Eluur whistled on a low tune as he stepped up onto Atlas' ship rail, spinning the silvery gun around his index finger. "Rosa Petalo Riprese," he said and cocked Rosa, the air around him turning dangerous as he took aim. "Proiettile Esplosione."

The gunshot made Atalaya's ears twitch, but she didn't even care as she saw the already damaged gunport explode again, creating a hole large enough to fit all five of the Saber Pirates at the same time. A cackling laughter pulled her attention back to Eluur, who seemed pleased to no ends about what he'd just done.

"Effective," Lance commented as he scanned the opening. "Although I might be able to do better..."

"Sabertooth!"

Atalaya braced herself as she looked up at Commander Lash, who seemed just about ready to tear his own arm off and leave it with Christian as long as he could charge at her. "Okay, Lance and Kitsune, you two go from there," she said and nodded at the opening. "Eluur and Roa, with me from above!"

She didn't waste any time on confirming the others' reactions before she dashed up to the main mast and began climbing, adrenaline making her heart beat at double rate. As she reached the topgallant, she didn't even look back at Eluur or Roa before she sprinted out to the end and jumped towards the marine ship, plummeting towards the deck head first. She transformed into the sabertooth tiger in mid-air, baring her teeth and growling as gravity pulled her closer and closer to Commander Lash, who finally broke out of Christian's hold and raised his polearm to brace himself for the incoming attack.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Umm, Eluur is addicted to theatricality. That's a very important thing to know about him. I mean, some of you might've figured it out from the way he introduced himself, and the fact that he willingly wears his grandmother's ridiculous glasses..._

_Rosa Petalo Riprese: Rose Petal Shooting_

_Proiettile Esplosione; Exploding Projectile_

_(Italian. Pure google translate used here.)_

_Until friday, my lovelies, fare thee well!_


	83. Comparison of skill and strength!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode eighty three – Comparison of skill and strength! Atalaya versus Commander Lash!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya's claws connected with Lash's spear with a devastating _clang_, and Lash growled as the full weight of Atalaya's tiger form pressed down on his arms. The momentum of the fall made him fall backwards, and as his back hit the deck, Atalaya was jarred away from him, and she was sent tumbling down the deck until she managed to break the skid.

Several marines instantly surrounded her, and she snarled as she took her hybrid form and spun around on the balls of her feet, reaching out her arms to the sides and shouting, "Twin Claw Cannon Tornado!"

The currents were sent flying in every direction, throwing the surrounding marines back and away from Atalaya. She quickly stopped twirling, groaning as her footing became unstable and she felt dizzy. "I guess it's still a little early to use that," she muttered, but before she could regain her balance, Lash's polearm connected with her temple, sending her flying to the side.

Atalaya ground her teeth together as she managed to land on all four, breaking the fall as she glared up at Commander Lash, who had wasted no time on waiting for her to recover and was moving towards her, his battle stick raised to strike again. Just as Atalaya was about to brace herself for the incoming attack, the companionway flew open and Kitsune and Lance jumped out, countless marines chasing after them.

As Kitsune, unaware of the approaching commander, stepped in front of Atalaya, he only had time to ask, "All good, cap'n?", before Lash appeared behind him and slammed the polearm into his ribs. The strike extracted a strangled grunt from Kitsune and he staggered back, his smirk only widening as he clutched to his side.

"Oi oi, Commander," he said and raised Hebi Kotei. "If ya wanna try takin' me on, all ya gotta do is ask."

Lash glared at him with such disgust, Atalaya couldn't help but wonder why the man loathed pirates so much. "The blood on your sword belongs to several of my marines," he said loudly, his eyes traveling from the red splotches in Kitsune's hair to the practically soaked sword. "And I really want to avenge them, but you're not my target right now, Crimson Fox."

He turned back to Atalaya, who instinctively backed a few steps and urged her ability to cover her body with rough fur. "Kitsune, stall him for a moment," she said and tore her attention away from the commander and placed it on Christian, who was running around on the deck, using his daggers to parry as many of Roa's incoming arrows as possible. "I'm gonna go take on the lieutenant."

"Aye, cap'n."

Lash's eyes widened and he dashed forward to stop Atalaya from moving, but before he could reach her, Kitsune appeared in front of him and thrust Hebi Kotei straight between the commander's eyes. Lash's lunge made it impossible for him to completely dodge, but he managed to angle his head so the blade only succeeding in placing a minor cut on his cheek.

"Get out of my way," Lash growled as he raised his weapon, but Kitsune only widened his stance and braced Hebi Kotei.

"Don't wanna," he said tantalizingly. "Not only did the cap'n just give me direct permission ta mess with ya, but ya owe me fer crackin' my ribs, good Commander."

A deep chuckle rolled past Atalaya's teeth as she heard Lash's roar of frustration. She dashed over the deck towards the lieutenant and pounced, and a toothy grin stretched her lips as she landed on Christian's back, an exclaim of shock leaving the man.

Christian's arms instantly flew up and, much to Atalaya's surprise, he grabbed hold of the hood of her jacket and pulled, effectively tearing her off his shoulders. Atalaya huffed as she barely had time enough to angle her body, and the deck beneath her creaked as she hit the flooring, her hands and feet taking the hit.

"A-Atalaya!" Christian exclaimed and backed a few steps, concern appearing on his face although his daggers were raised and pointed at her. "You startled me!"

"I'm impressed, Chris," Atalaya said as she straightened up and shook her hands to get rid of the stinging feeling the impact had left. "You seemed so timid back when we were on the ship to Zaimoku City, I didn't really see you as a fighter."

"I guess they're instincts from when I was a thief," Christian said and shrugged, groaning as he realized he once again had forgotten his position. He shook his head and straightened up, widening his stance as he braced himself. "I am a marine," he said somewhat coldly. "It's a given I know how to fight."

"Don't be so stiff," Atalaya grinned and took a few steps forward, barely giving Christian enough time to react before raising her arms and striking, her claws connecting with the daggers.

Although a little hesitant, Christian bucked his knives and Atalaya's claws slid to the side, leaving her front defenseless. The lieutenant seemed to drive an inner war with himself about what to do now, and when he finally decided to strike, Atalaya had already gotten enough time to recover.

She grabbed hold of both blades, hissing as the edges sank into her palms. "You didn't tell anyone my secret, did you?" she asked and tightened her grip to prevent Christian from backing away.

"I didn't," he said, slightly alarmed when he saw blood drip from Atalaya's hands. "Sir Lash questioned me for hours before I convinced him it wasn't anything that could help him... help him chase you down."

"I really appreciate that. Now..."

Atalaya inhaled deeply and rotated her arms, the motion making an unprepared Christian lose his balance. Before he could recover, Atalaya released the daggers, grabbed hold of his arms and tugged, a roar working its way from her throat as she heaved him off the ground and threw him over her shoulder, making him slam into the deck with a loud crash. "Sorry, Chris," she said and straightened up, offering the shocked lieutenant a lopsided grin. "I think the commander has some unfinished business with me now."

Barely had those words left her lips before Kitsune appeared a few feet away from her, a large bruise blossoming on his chin. He was out of breath, and Atalaya was surprised to see such a concentrated expression on his face.

"Word 'a warnin', cap'n," he breathed out as he wiped off Hebi Kotei on his kimono, the blood blending together with the deep red color. "The commander ain't a weaklin'. He's usin' some sort of technique ta make 'em move faster. Lots faster."

"Really, now..." Atalaya placed her attention on Lash, whose only injury seemed to be a cut on his cheek and on his left palm. Other than that, he seemed perfectly fine. "Alright," Atalaya said and stepped in front of Kitsune. "Why don't you try on the lieutenant? I feel like entertaining the commander."

Kitsune nodded and turned around, and just as Atalaya was about to part her lips to address Lash, a large explosion made the two ships rock violently, sending large waves in every direction. Both Lash and Atalaya momentarily turned their attention away from each other, and when Atalaya looked in the direction on Atlas' sails, she saw Roa and Eluur stand on the topgallant, the gunman equipped with a cheshire-cat grin while the archer looked quite shocked.

"Are you two out of your bloody minds?!"

Atalaya glanced over her shoulder to see Lance come storming from the rear of the ship, an aggravated expression on his face as he glared daggers at the two rangers. The tail of his jacket was burned, and a small amount of smoke left his mouth as he coughed.

"What happened?" Atalaya asked when the shipwright reached her.

"Apparently those two bloody idiots got it into their heads that adding an explosive arrow and an explosive bullet would be a _magnificent_ idea," he growled through gritted teeth. "That idiotic archer fired first, and the moment before the arrow reached the crowd I was handling, Eluur aimed a shot at the arrowhead." He removed his hat and dusted it off, too occupied to notice Atalaya's both amused and impressed grin.

"The result was the explosion you just heard," Lance sighed as he pressed the hat down over his hair again. "And believe me, I shall show those two no mercy once we are clear from this encounter."

With that, he unsheathed his trench knives and picked up his speed again, throwing himself at another crowd of marines and leaving Atalaya to marvel at the skills of the rangers. Although, judging from Roa's expression, she'd say it was more likely Eluur's idea of creating as much chaos as possible.

"Not too shabby, my comrades, eh?" she said as she turned back to Lash. "Wonder how long this ship's gonna stay afloat..."

"As long as I can take you down, I'll gladly swim back to land," the commander snapped and used his polearm to point at Atalaya. "I'm not going to let you or any members of your crew escape me again, let along sail to the next island!"

Atalaya's lips curled back in a snarl, and she lowered herself onto all four as she let her ability take her closer to her full tiger form. "Try and stop us," she growled, the fur on her back standing on edge. "After we've returned the Sun's Heart, we're back to hunting One Piece, and not you nor-"

"The Sun's Heart?"

Three silent seconds passed before Atalaya cursed colorfully at her slip. "Stupid idiot," she muttered as she raised a hand to rub her eyes in frustration. When she once again looked at Lash, she groaned as she saw he had lowered his guard slightly as he put together the pieces.

"_You_ took Solare Kingdom's crown jewel from the Shadow Pirates?" he demanded and took a few steps closer, a whole new determination burning in his eyes. "What more to expect from one such as yourself. Another thing to arrest you for, Sabertooth!"

"Okay, you can try to arrest me for being a pirate," Atalaya sighed. "But try to leave out the crown jewel part, okay? It was only by chance I got the stone..."

The dark expression on Lash's face told her the commander would most likely not respect her request, so she urged forth as much strength as she could and still keep her human form, and after shifting her weight from one foot to the other for a few seconds, she sprinted forward again.

Commander Lash widened his stance as he braced himself and raised his polearm, focusing all his attention on his target before calling out, "Soru!", and vanishing completely from Atalaya's line of sight.

Atalaya planted her heels into the deck and skidded, her eyes narrowing as she threw her head to the sides to relocate the commander. This was completely different from the time she'd fought Nora the Warlock. She couldn't sense the commander at all. She took a few steps to the side to get securely out of the line of sight of whatever was about to happen, but before she could do all that much, she exclaimed in pain as the blunt edge of the polearm was slammed straight between her shoulder blades, her back arching as she fell forward, her forehead smashing against the deck.

She felt Lash's presence above her, but before she could stand up, the commander pressed his right foot into her back, effectively pinning her down. "So that's what Kitsune was talking about," Atalaya growled, her voice muffled as she spoke against the flooring.

"Trapped," Lash said, the triumph in his voice making Atalaya's ears curl back. "Seems like this'll be the end of the road for your dreams, Sabertooth."

"I disagree, Commander." Atalaya braced her hands flat against the deck and inhaled deeply, letting her transformation slowly take her all the way. "Let's see if you can restrain a fully grown sabertooth tiger with your strength alone!" she growled, her arms quivering as she forced her upper body to rise from the deck.

A snarl rolled past her sharp teeth as Lash's right hand locked around her neck in a vice grip, his full strength now pressing her down. Atalaya ground her teeth as she rose higher inch by inch, and just as she was about to stand up straight on all four, Lash sneaked the polearm behind her front paw and flicked the staff, effectively making Atalaya lose her balance and fall, coughing as the commander's weight now threatened to flatten her against the deck.

"As I was saying," Lash said, and Atalaya huffed in frustration as she morphed back into a hybrid to make it even a little more comfortable to lie on the hard wood. "Someone, bring me a pair of Sea Stone cuffs!" His grip tightened around her neck as he addressed her again. "Have you ever heard of Sea Stone?" he asked, the poorly hidden satisfaction shining through his words. "They're like compact ocean. As a Devil's Fruit user, you know what the ocean does to you, right? Just like water, Sea Stone drains all of your ability's power."

The words set off a blearing alarm in Atalaya's mind, and she quickly began struggling again, unsuccessfully flailing with her arms and legs. "Surrender, Sabertooth," Commander Lash snapped, his fingers digging into Atalaya's neck.

From the corner of her eyes, Atalaya could see Kitsune playfully sparring against Christian, and a memory of Kitsune's Nine-tailed Fox form flashed before her eyes. She stopped flailing and forced as much strength into her tail as she could, forcing the fur to stand on edge at the tip and become as hard as steel, and just as she heard approaching footsteps and the sound of rattling chains, she parted her lips and breathed out, "Tail... Spear!"

Her tail shot forward and buried itself in Lash's right arm. As Atalaya couldn't see what she was doing, her aim had been slightly thrown off and the sharp tip of her tail slid down the limb, cutting open a shallow wound all the way from Lash's upper arm to his hand.

The commander exclaimed in shock and the grip around Atalaya's neck loosened. A loud roar tore its way from her throat as she summoned as much strength as she could and rose from the deck, throwing Lash off her back. She quickly dashed forward, her eyes narrowing as she noticed a marine stand not far away from her, a pair of dark blue chains in his hands.

"Those cuffs..." Atalaya offered him a toothy grin before charging straight towards him, grabbing hold of his upper arm and dragging him to the ship rail, where she growled as she practically threw the marine over board, the chains quickly slipping from his grip and falling into the ocean.

A feral smirk danced on her lips as she turned back to Lash, who hadn't moved from his spot. He was clutching to his bleeding arm, his attention for once not placed on Atalaya. He scanned the wound for a second before tearing the sleeve of his long jacket straight off and tying the fabric around the limb.

"Sure you wanna continue like that?" Atalaya asked tantalizingly and cracked her knuckles as she moved a little closer. "You don't look too good, you know."

"I don't want your concern, Sabertooth," Lash spat out as he wrapped his injured hand, refusing to show any signs of pain. Once his arm was properly bound, he grabbed his polearm and tentatively performed a series of impressive movements, a slight twitch in the corner of his left eye being the only sign of pain.

"Fantastic," Atalaya said dryly, wasting no time before she burst off the deck, raising her claws to meet Lash's staff, and just as they were about to connect, five arrows buried into the deck between her and Lash.

"Captain!"

Both of them skidded to a halt, and after quickly securing a distance between them, Atalaya threw her head to the side to locate the source of the voice. She caught sight of Roa, who had his attention focused on something behind the two ships. "What's going on?" Atalaya asked loudly, raising a hand to shield her face from the suddenly strong wind.

"We're chased by a storm!" Roa shouted as he began moving down from the topgallant, leaving Eluur to shoot on his own, which, based on the gunman's maniacal laughter, he didn't mind at all. The archer raised a hand to point towards the horizon, and Atalaya's eyes widened as she saw the skies had turned dark, enormous black clouds quickly approaching the two ships.

"If we don't move, we'll be caught in a hurricane!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Damn, I think this is the longest episode I've posted so far! I just couldn't stop writing! When I finally got to the cliffhanger, I had written close to 3000 words... oops._

_I'm sure you won't mind._

_The next episode is also long as hell. Roughly the same amount of words there. Hmm. This and the following episode combined could've been three or four separate episodes. Heheh. But no matter, no matter!_

_Have a nice three day's wait for the continuation! Until monday, my darlings, fare thee well!_


	84. The situation turns critical!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode eighty four – The situation turns critical! Race to escape dangerous waters!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya stared at the dark clouds for a few seconds before turning her attention back to Lash. "Well," she said and offered the commander a small smirk as she straightened up. "This was fun, but I guess our time's up."

Before she could take many steps towards the ship rail, Lash moved forward and positioned himself between her and Atlas. "Who says we're done?" he asked coldly. "I told you, I don't care if this ship sinks as long as I get to bring you to Impel Down!"

Atalaya arched an eyebrow as she backed up a few steps, her stance shifting back to defensive. "Kitsune!" she called and glanced over her shoulder, the corners of her mouth twitching as she saw he had completely overpowered Christian. Kitsune had sheathed Hebi Kotei and now held the lieutenant's daggers aimed at their owner's throat, teasingly flicking them now and then to make Chris flinch nervously.

A bored expression settled on Kitsune's face as he was summoned in the middle of his playtime, and he buried the daggers onto the deck next to Christian before turning around and casually striding up to Atalaya. "What do ya need, cap'n?" he asked, an almost unnoticeable crease appearing on his forehead as he nodded in Lash's direction. "Need me ta stall 'em again?"

"No, I'll do the stalling this time," Atalaya said. "You take Lance and get back on Atlas. Prepare the ship for take-off, but wait for my orders before releasing the sails."

"Yer planning somethin' again, aren't ya," Kitsune said and smirked as he turned around to go search for the shipwright. "I'ma ready the cannons as well," he added, a smug tone in his voice. "Just in case, ya know."

Atalaya nodded, and as Kitsune disappeared, she took a few steps closer to Lash. "You're quite heartless, you know," she said. "If this ship sinks, what's gonna happen to all your comrades?"

"They can sw- I don't need a lecture from you!" Lash said loudly. "And I don't know what you're planning, but you're never going to get away from me!"

"Only time will tell." With those words, Atalaya broke off the ground, her eyes almost watering as the strong wind blew straight in her face. She ducked as she saw Lash raise his polearm, huffing when she felt it passing an inch over her head, and without slowing down, she let herself fall forward and planted her hands onto the deck, twisting her lower body to aim a kick to the side of Lash's head.

On instinct, Lash raised his right arm to parry, a growl rolling past his teeth as his injured hand took the blow. Atalaya jumped to her feet, but the commander recovered faster than she'd expected. Before she could even raise her hands to defend her upper body, Lash smashed the polearm into her side.

Atalaya hissed as she moved back, and she could almost feel the bruise blooming on her waist. She inhaled deeply a few times before straightening up and glaring at Lash, her eyes narrowing as she saw the injury on his arm hadn't taken her kick so well. The binding was completely soaked where her foot had connected, the strong scent of blood making Atalaya's nose twitch.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw Kitsune and Lance move towards the ship rail to board Atlas. Without giving Lash time to even notice them, Atalaya dashed forward again, offering the commander a tantalizing grin as she raised her arms to strike, her ears curling back as her claws connected with the spear.

She quickly locked her hands around the polearm and pushed, trying to force the weapon down and expose an undefended area to strike, but the commander was quick to respond. He widened his stance as he pushed forward, his strength incredible even though his arm was damaged.

"Remove your hands from my weapon," he grit out, the scowl on his face deepening as Atalaya's grin widened.

"I don't think so," she growled. "I'll be in pretty big trouble if I release it now, so the next time I let up on this will be when _you_ do."

"Let it go!"

"Not a chance."

"Release it!"

"Not happening!"

"_Fine_!"

Lash stepped to the side so abruptly, the sudden loss of resistance made Atalaya lose her balance and fall forward. She had to remove one hand from the polearm to break the fall towards the deck, and Lash took the opportunity to quickly step up behind Atalaya, lean forward to grab hold of the staff again and pull it up, jamming the grip under Atalaya's chin.

Atalaya coughed as the pole dug into her throat, threatening to strangle her. The commander's knee pushed between her shoulder blades, effectively preventing her from moving forward. A dry growl rolled through her teeth as she grabbed hold of the polearm and pulled, trying and failing to lessen the pressure on her throat.

"I repeat; _surrender_, Sabertooth," Lash said, his voice strained as pain shot through his right arm as it struggled to keep Atalaya under control.

"Not... happening," Atalaya hissed. She braced her feet against the deck, releasing a strangled growl as she pushed her upper body back, her grip on the pole tightening as she used it as leverage to do a backwards somersault. Her lower body jerked off the deck, and before Lash could react, Atalaya planted her right knee straight between his eyes.

Commander Lash exclaimed and took a step back, the movement freeing Atalaya from her restraint. She swallowed thickly as she staggered to the side, a hand flying up to rub at her soar throat as she attempted to stabilize her breathing. "Close call," she coughed, cautiously backing away as the commander stood up straight.

"Atalaya!"

She flinched and glanced in the direction on Atlas, where her comrades stood waiting, ready to release the sails. A grin appeared on Atalaya's lips as she placed her attention on Lash, the commander's eyes narrowing. "Well," Atalaya said and moved sideways towards the main mast. "Sadly, I have to go now. But it's been fun."

Before Lash could even begin to process her words, Atalaya buried her claws into the mast and began climbing, chuckling as she heard the commander's outraged curse. Without looking back ,she climbed up to the first yard for the lowest sail and moved to its end, stopping momentarily to look over her shoulder, her grin widening as she saw Lash was following her. She waited until he was only a few feet away from her before jumping, soaring over the sea and landing on all four on Atlas' main mast's topgallant.

"Wait for my signal!" she shouted as she moved halfway to the crow's nest and turned around, her glee vanishing to be replaced by concentration as Lash landed on the topgallant about seven feet away from her, completely ignoring the shouts of Christian and the rest of his crew, who were all standing bu the marine ship's rail.

"You can't run from me," Lash said as he moved closer, careful to uphold his balance in the unyielding wind. "I won't let you escape now."

"I'm not trying to... run..." Atalaya's eyes slid away from the commander as she realized the hurricane was about five seconds away from reaching the two ships, and she couldn't help but turn her head to fully take in the dark sight.

"Don't turn your attention away from me, Sabertooth!" Lash growled and swung his polearm to strike the side of Atalaya's face, but just as it was about to hit its target, Atalaya turned to face him, and the polearm smashed against her teeth.

Both Atalaya and Lash's eyes widened at the contact, but it was Atalaya who recovered fastest. Her lips curled into a feral grin, and with the weapon still pressing against her fangs, she pushed the commander backwards along the topgallant, her eyes practically dancing as she glared up at him.

"Fire the cannons!" she shouted, enjoying the shock displayed on Lash's face as her words took form in his mind. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see five of Atlas' cannons fire, creating large holes in the side of the marine ship. The impact jarred the ships apart from each other, and Lash turned back to face Atalaya just as she released the second command.

"What do you think you're-"

"Make full sail!"

Atlas cringed at the sudden increase of speed, and as Lash staggered, an almost innocent smile graced Atalaya's lips as she leaned forward. "Take care, Commander," she said and retreated a few inches, releasing a growl as she slammed her teeth against the polearm for the final time, the force making Lash lose his balance and fall backwards, down from the topgallant and into the sea.

Atalaya barely had time to see the commander resurface before she had to crouch down and bury her claws into the gallant as the ship was rocked violently by the high waves. She crawled to the crow's nest and moved down to the helm, where she grabbed hold of the rail to steady herself.

"Why did you wait so long before telling us to sail?" Roa grumbled as he tried to serpentine along the waves. "We could've outrun the hurricane if we'd left earlier."

"Probably," Atalaya said, shivering as heavy rain began pouring down. "But then Commander Lash and his marines would've done the same thing and chased us down again, so I had to make sure they couldn't come after us immediately." She moved to the other side of the ship and leaned over the rail to observe the marine ship, who now stood in the exact middle of the storm. "See, they're not chasing us from there," she grinned.

"'What an impressive strategy, captain', I believe you are supposed to say." Lance appeared behind Roa and slapped the back of his head. "Never doubt the captain's plans," he said and stepped to the side to avoid being kicked in the gut.

"Lay off, Lance," Atalaya said and quickly placed herself between the two. "He has the right to doubt me. My plans won't ever be perfect, so his doubt is a good thing. Keeps me on the ground, you know?"

"Exactly, so back off, pretty boy," Roa scoffed.

Lance's retort was drowned as the dark sky began rumbling, and the shipwright quickly climbed up onto the quarterdeck's roof to get a good look at what they were up against, and his eyes widened as he saw several tornados forming like a fence behind them, rapidly drawing closer.

"We have to speed up!" he shouted as he moved back down to the helm, his voice barely reaching over the howling wind and the rain. "Or Atlas will be sunk!"

Roa ground his teeth together and tilted his head back to look up at the skies. The wind had changed directions and was blowing against their sails, greatly decreasing their speed. A sudden idea popped into his mind as he set his eyes on the high waves, and a toothy grin slowly stretched his lips as he turned back to Atalaya. "Now it'll be your turn to doubt _my_ plan," he said.

Before Atalaya could question this statement, the companionway opened up and Kitsune and Eluur appeared on deck, the weather an obvious surprise to them both. "What's goin' on?" Kitsune asked and raised a hand to shield his face from the rain. "The storm actually caught us?"

"Perfect timing," Roa called. "You two, get up on the masts and reel in the sails! They'll only be in our way for what's coming!"

"Are you mad?" Lance growled as the two began climbing up the main mast. "We are bound to die if we lose more speed!"

"Who says we're gonna lose speed?" Roa snapped, sounding almost offended. "I'm this ship's navigator, and I expect you to trust me to _not_ get us killed out on the sea!"

He shot a quick glance at Atalaya, who nodded without hesitation. "I have faith in you," she grinned. "And so does Lance, he just doesn't wanna admit it."

A deep frown settled on the shipwright's face, but he didn't argue with her words. He only glared at Roa for a few more seconds before turning around and moving back towards the mizzen mast, muttering something about 'folding the sails'.

When all the sails had been reeled in, Roa nodded in content and turned his attention to the side, where he could see the ocean form high waves. "Hold onto something!" he shouted, widening his stance as he braced himself.

"What are you gonna do?" Atalaya asked as she buried her claws into the ship rail.

"_We_ are gonna go surfing."

That was all Roa said before spinning the wheel to the right, the action causing Atlas to turn sharply, now fully facing a tsunami-sized wave. Atalaya's eyes widened and she swallowed thickly as they drew closer to the wave, and just as they reached its base, Roa growled and turned the wheel again, this time forcing Atlas to the side.

The archer had to put all his strength into keeping the ship leveled, and as Atlas began riding sideways along the humongous wave, Atalaya could almost see his arms were quivering as the ship desperately would've wanted to turn, but not until the wave started lowering did he release it.

Atlas turned for the third time, now fully lined with the rear against the wave, and Atalaya could almost feel her heart drum in her ears as the ship's figurehead pointed straight down. The ship raced down the wave with incredible speed, and although Atalaya didn't want to take her eyes off the scene presented to her, the rain was now blowing straight in her face, and she had to release one hand to repeatedly rub her eyes.

"Brace yourselves!" Roa shouted as Atlas reached the base of the wave, now in risk of being crushed underneath the mass of water that was about to drop down over them.

"I will personally slaughter you if we die here," Lance grit out as he clutched to the rail for dear life with one hand while the other was pressing his hat further and further down.

Roa only scoffed, the sound drenched by the rumble of the storm, and lined Atlas up sideways with the wave. As the water formed the falling wave into a tunnel, the archer steered the ship straight through it, his teeth bared in concentration.

"I didn't know ya could surf, blondie." Kitsune had appeared next to Roa, casually taking his seat on the rail next to the wheel. He didn't even seem to notice the wind or the rain, not to mention the wave that was chasing after them from the behind. All in all, he was acting perfectly normal.

"Never tried it in my life," Roa admitted, his snarl turning into a quick grin at Lance's mortified expression. "Only seen a few kids from my village do it a few times. Hold onto the rail, fox face, or you'll be thrown over board in two seconds," he added as they reached the end of the tunnel.

The tunnel of water broke down the exact second Atlas escaped it, and the splash gave the ship an extra boost, driving it far to the side. When the rain still didn't let up, Roa wiped some water away from his face and looked to the side, groaning as he saw the ocean was sending another wave in their direction.

"Rinse and repeat," he said.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Of course, I couldn't make Atalaya "win" the fight and let her defeat Lash. He _is_ a commander, __after all, and I think it's safe to say he's physically stronger than her. Her advantage comes in the form of her Devil's Fruit. At the same time, I couldn't let Lash defeat the Saber Pirates, since that would lead to their capture. So I threw in a hurricane. Heehaw._

_Keep up with the questions for the Talk Show, guys! I already have a lot, but I'd still like some more. I'm closing the "question box" with episode 90, so I'll have enough time to write the episode properly._

_The summer sun's boiling me alive in my own apartment, but I've waited far too long for this warmth to complain, so, here's to summer! Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	85. Ruule resurfaces!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode eighty five – Ruule resurfaces! Closing in on a new island!**

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Roa had to repeat the same series of moves on three more gigantic waves before they finally were clear out of the hurricane. The rain had subsided, leaving them all drenched to the skin, their clothes dripping like they'd been standing in a shower. Eluur's soaked hair fell over his face like closed curtains, and he had to remove his glasses to not let the frames become too damaged by the water.

"Well, at least we're safe for now," Roa said and released the wheel to grab hold of his braid and wring it, a large amount of water splashing down onto the already soaked deck. "And we're so far off course, I'm surprised we haven't drifted all the way into Calm Belt yet," he added gruffly and raised his arm where the Log Pose was tied.

"So it'll take us a little longer to get to the next island," Atalaya said and rolled her shoulders. "The island's not going anywhere, right?" She inhaled deeply before shaking her upper body, effectively making small droplets of water leave her body and fly in every direction. "Wonder if the marines got clear out of the storm," she hummed. "Either way, we should probably get going as fast as possible, huh?"

The archer nodded. "Release the sails," he said as he leaned over the wheel, the muscles in his arms aching from the storm. "We have to let them dry for a bit before we can sail properly."

"Okay, Kitsune, get the mizzen sails," Atalaya said. "Eluur, you and me take care of the main sails."

She stepped towards the ladders, but halted when she noticed Eluur hadn't moved at all. He was standing on the exact spot as before, a slightly distant expression on his face as he combed his wet hair out of his eyes.

"Eluur..?" Atalaya walked up to him and snapped her fingers in front of his face, the motion making him jump in shock.

"You scared me," he exclaimed, a little too innocently. He squinted his eyes as he couldn't see properly, and when he equipped the simple, steel-framed glasses, a thought popped up in Atalaya's mind.

"Everything okay... Ruule?" she asked, her suspicions confirmed when the chef nodded with a bright smile.

"Si," he said. "My narcolepsy must've kicked in again, so I apologize if I've been walking around in my sleep." He looked around, the smallest of creases settling onto his forehead. "Why is everybody so drenched?" he asked.

Atalaya stood speechless for a few seconds before Kitsune's chortle snapped her out of her daze. "Just came across a little rain," she said dismissively, a reassuring smile gracing her lips as she nudged Kitsune in the ribs to cut off his chuckling. "But if you're awake now, would you mind releasing the main sails?"

Ruule nodded and moved towards the main mast, and the second he was far away enough to not hear their conversation, the four stuck their heads together. "He really is like a completely different person," Roa said. "Why do you think he switched back?"

"Now that we are no longer in combat, I assume he does not feel threatened anymore," Lance said quietly. "Since we already made peace with Eluur, there is no reason for him to be in charge while Ruule is among us."

A few seconds' silence followed this statement before Kitsune raised his voice. "Are ya gonna tell 'em?" he asked of Atalaya. "The maniac said somethin' 'bout the airhead not knowin' 'bout 'em. And the airhead seems ta think he's got narcolepsy."

Atalaya sighed as her mind tried to work out what would be the right thing to do. On one hand, it would be best if Ruule would realize his condition sooner rather than later, but on the other hand, finding out could disrupt the stability of his daily life.

"We won't tell him," she finally said. "He's only our temporary chef, so I don't think telling him just before he leaves would be a good idea."

"But he might want to stay with us if we tell him he turns into a crazy bastard every now and then," Roa pointed out.

"True," Atalaya hummed. She straightened up and looked up at the sails, smiling as Ruule saluted her with a leisure wave from the topgallant. "But I can't risk that," she said. "He said he want to leave at some point, and though I really want him to stay, I don't want to mess with his decision by telling him what he is or might be."

Another moment of silence passed before the others nodded in agreement. "Alright then." Atalaya stood up straight and stretched her arms to the side, sighing in content as her muscles relaxed. "Release the sails and let's get going as soon as possible."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Island spotted on starboard side!"

They had barely sailed for an hour when Lance's voice sounded from up in the crow's nest. Atalaya, who was hanging from the shrouds with her legs entangled in the ropes as she wasted time doing sit-ups, instantly began flailing, growling as she couldn't seem to break her legs free.

Finally, she huffed as she gave up and let her body go flaccid, hanging upside down from the shrouds. "Roa?" she called.

"The Log isn't pointing towards that island," he said as he kept a steady eye on the compass. "That island's a part of another route."

Atalaya nodded, and as she started feeling the blood in her body rush to her head, she heaved her upper body upwards and grabbed hold of the shrouds to stay somewhat upright. "What does it look like, Lance?" she asked loudly.

"Tropical," the shipwright responded, the spyglass pressed against his right eye. "The island is enormous, completely covered by lush forests apart from a large mountain in the exact middle."

"Sounds interestin', yeah?" Kitsune appeared on the shrouds above Atalaya, a somewhat spiteful smirk on his lips as he looked down at her. "Ya never been ta a tropical island, right, sweetheart," he said.

"You know I haven't," Atalaya said and sent her first mate a cold glare to warn him of taking advantage of her vulnerable state in any way. "But we're going now." She leaned back to look at Roa, although upside down. "Adjust course for that island," she said, grinning as she saw the archer was already in the process of spinning the wheel. "Lance, you can come down now!"

The shipwright appeared on deck a few seconds later, a somewhat concerned expression on his face as he looked at Atalaya. "Do you require assistance to get down, captain?" he asked and offered her his hand.

"Nah, I'm good," Atalaya chuckled. "Just need to untangle my feet..." She struggled for a bit before looking around, her attention landing on Ruule, who stood by the figurehead and stared up into the sky above the island. "Everything okay, Ruule?" she called.

"I'm not sure." The chef kept removing and replacing his glasses, his brow furrowed in slight confusion. "Something just flew up from the forest on that island," he said loudly. "But I can't tell what it is from this distance."

"Make use of these," Lance said and tossed the spyglass over to him.

Ruule unfolded the tool and aimed it at his target. It took him all of seven seconds before he spoke up again. "Oh my," he said, sounding as if what he saw was no more interesting than a cloud. "I think it's a bird of some kind. Big, somewhat scaly... oh, and it looks like it's heading straight for us."

His last words were processed by Atalaya's mind incredibly slowly, and it wasn't until her sensitive ears caught the sound of a shrill roar that she reacted. "That's not good," she growled and resumed struggling with the shrouds. "Ruule, come away from there!"

The chef shrugged his shoulders and moved towards the main mast, a mildly curious expression the only sign of his reactions to the current situation. "Here you go," he said cheerfully as he handed Lance the spyglass.

"Oi oi, that ain't look like a bird," Kitsune jingled and jumped down onto deck, leaving Atalaya alone to tear at the ropes until the creature emitted another high-pitched cry, this time much closer up to the ship. Atalaya turned as best she could in her restraints, and her eyes widened as she saw exactly what was heading towards them.

The beast was enormous, larger than Atlas. While its wings were covered with long feathers, its stomach was scaly. A tail approximately the same length as Atlas' main mast seemed to slither on the wind like a snake behind the creature, the tip ending in a burst of colorful feathers. The beast had a long beak, and as it flew past Atlas and released another deafening roar, Atalaya could count several dozens of razor-sharp teeth.

"Brace for attack!" she shouted, her patience closing in on the breaking point as the gusts the creature's wings created made the shrouds quiver, causing her to lose her grip and dangle helplessly from her legs. "Roa and Ruule, take out its eyes!"

"Roger that." Roa released the wheel and leaped over the platform rail, tearing his bow from his shoulders as he dashed past Ruule and out onto open deck. He growled as he fired an arrow, but the beast didn't even blink as the arrowhead connected with the corner of its left eye.

"Bullets don't have any effect," Ruule said and pushed Beauty into its holster after firing seven constructive shots. "That bird has some form of reinforced lenses."

"Fine," Roa said and reached behind his back, withdrawing an explosive arrow from the quiver. "Let's see how it handles one of these." He nocked the arrow and took aim, breathing slowly as he kept his eyes on the beast, following its every move as it circled once around the ship. "Special Arrow," he said, pulling the arrow back so far the string of his bow threatened to snap. "Explosive Shot!"

He released the arrow just before the creature reached his line of sight, and the archer huffed in content as the wind carried the arrow straight into the beast's right eye, where it exploded.

The creature emitted an outraged and pained roar, spreading its wings to brake its flight. The explosion had set a screen of smoke around its head, and it tossed and flailed in mid-air for a few seconds until the smoke cleared. It turned to face Roa, with now only one eye open as it glared down at the archer.

"Oh shit," Roa grit out and took a few steps back, his eyes widening as he realized the beast was preparing to dive straight at him.

"Get out of there!" Lance shouted, but the archer ignored him and nocked a new arrow to fire.

"Roa!" Atalaya saw as if in slow motion how the creature folded its wings close to its body as it began the dive. Underneath its wings it stretched out its hind legs with the obvious intent to grab hold of its assailant. "I'm not gonna let you..!" Atalaya snarled as she extended her claws and tore straight through the ropes, a puff of air gusting past her lips as she landed on all four only to throw herself forward again.

She bounded over the deck as the beast drew closer to the archer, and just as it was about to lock him in its claws, Atalaya pushed off the ground, practically tackling Roa out of the way. The impact threw the archer off his feet and he crashed into the ship rail, safely out of harm's way.

For one split second, relief washed over Atalaya. Then, she realized her own position, and before she could react, the beast's claws closed around her and she was carried off the ship.

"Captain!"

"_Atalaya_!"

"Shit!" Atalaya twisted her body as much as she could in her prison to get a good look at the deck, which became smaller and smaller with every passing moment. "Go ashore on the island!" she yelled as loudly as her lungs allowed her to. "We'll find each other there!"

She heard Roa shout something, but the beast opened its beak and emitted a roar that drowned his voice. "Shut up, you," Atalaya growled and elbowed the creature's foot to no effect at all. When the beast finally fell silent, she twisted back to stare down at the ocean, where she could now only see a tiny spot that was Atlas. "Don't worry!" she screamed, although she knew they couldn't hear her anymore. "I'll see you in a little while!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_It's really just one cliffhanger after the other, isn't it? Heehaw!_

_Until friday, my dear darlings, fare thee well!_


	86. The crew splits up!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode eighty six – The crew splits up! Face the dangers of the mysterious island!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Let go of me, you stupid bird!"

Atalaya groaned as she attempted to break free from the beast's claws, all her twisting and turning only serving to give her an annoying ache in her back. After a whole minute of useless flailing, she extended her teeth and was just about to let them sink into the creature's foot when she realized just how far up in the sky they were.

As she turned around so she could look down, Atalaya's eyes widened as she saw exactly how large the island was. Her captor was flying with incredible speed, but had barely reached the large forest. The mountain was far away from their location, and Atalaya figured that was most likely the beast's target, seeing as it would be the best nesting spot for a flying predator.

As if a barrier had been placed between Atlas and this island, Atalaya was suddenly feeling an extreme warmth she hadn't experienced on the ship. The climate on the island was humid and hot, leaving Atalaya sweating even though she was racing through the air.

She quickly covered her ears as the beast opened its beak and emitted a loud screech, the sound triggering a rush of goosebumps on Atalaya's arms. The roar was outdrawn, and halfway through, Atalaya lowered her hands as she somehow understood what kind of call this was.

"Don't tell me it's gonna-"

Her suspicions were confirmed as three distant, more high-pitched cries reached her ears. If she compared the tone of the distant sounds and her captor's, she knew the distant cries belonged to younger creatures, and that the one carrying her was undoubtedly a mother.

"Oh, great, so I'm about to become lunch for your babies, huh?" Atalaya shouted, exclaiming as the claws around her stomach tightened. She was just about to five the bird a piece of her mind when the scent of smoke reached her nostrils, and as she twisted her body to stare down, she saw a trail of smoke rising from between the woods a bit north from her.

"Sorry, bridy," she growled and reached over her shoulder to brace her right hand against the beast's left foot. "But this is my stop, so I'll be leaving now." She retreated her arm a little, inhaling deeply before shouting, "Claw Gun!", and burying her claws into her scaly prison.

The bird shrieked in pain and began flailing, shaking its injured leg in an attempt to relieve the pain. Atalaya ground her teeth together as it still didn't release her, so she freed her other hand and turned into a proper angle, sending the bird a smoldering glare before bracing both of her arms.

"Twin Claw Gun!" she called, and as all of her claws sank into the bird's foot, the grip around her loosened and she squirmed free.

One moment of triumph washed over her before she began falling, drawing closer to the forest with each passing second. "This is not good," she said, the strong with in her face making her eyes sting. She fell like a rock towards the ground, and no brilliant ideas on how to survive came to her mind in this dire situation.

"Okay, I'll just grab hold of a branch when I reach the trees," she breathed out. She raised her arms to shield her face as she broke through the first layer of trees, several small branches scratching at her skin. The concentrated expression on her face was replaced by one of horror as she opened her eyes to see she was about three seconds away from falling straight into the middle of a small lake.

"No, no, no, _no_..!" She twisted her head to the sides in desperation, trying to locate something she could grab onto, but the closest tree stood by the shore of the lake, over twenty yards to her left. The branches of all the surrounding trees only extended up to form a shield over the lake, preventing anyone from seeing the water from up above.

Before Atalaya could even curse at the illusion, she crashed into the water. She instantly became dizzy, and she frantically waved with her arms in an attempt to swim, but it only served to drain her strength faster as she sank towards the bottom. The last thing she saw was the dim glimmering of the sun far above the surface before her world went dark.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Idiot."

"Shut your trap! I feel bad enough already, pretty boy!"

"You are the most idiotic mass of organisms this planet has ever seen!"

Roa parted his lips to give a sour retort, but he couldn't think of anything defensive nor offensive to say, so he ground his teeth together and lowered his gaze to his hands instead. He was standing by the wheel, steering Atlas towards the island where they would try and find Atalaya in the middle of the massive lush forest.

The lack of response made Lance nod in satisfaction as the archer clearly realized himself what he had caused. Since the giant bird had seized Atalaya instead of him, he had slowly become more and more silent, his eyes focused on anything except the rest of the crew.

"C'mon, blondie, cheer up," Kitsune said and poked Roa in the cheek. "Yer gonna get us all down if ya ain't yer usual grumpy self."

"Thanks, fox face," Roa scoffed, his gaze concentrated on the shore in front of him. "That helps." He sighed and leaned his head on top of the wheel. "I'll apologize to the captain when we find her," he grumbled. "You all of you can lay off me and shut the hell up."

"Don't worry." Ruule had stepped out of the kitchen, a bag hanging over his shoulder and four small sealed boxes stacked up in his arms. "Atalaya's strong," he said as he slowly moved up to the platform. "I haven't known her for long, but she did take down Van Rosheer singlehandedly. I don't think she'll have any problems surviving a bird like that."

Lance nodded absentmindedly, lost in deep thought until the chef placed the boxes down on the platform rail. "You knew the captain is a... of a feminine gender?" he asked, uncertain of what words to use.

A mildly confused expression settled on Ruule's face as he straightened up. "Si," he said, his tone somewhat distant. "Is it supposed to be a secret?" He scratched the back of his head and shrugged to himself. "I was only somewhat suspicious in the beginning, but after I woke from my narcoleptic attack, I just... knew."

He turned back to the boxes, failing to see the skeptical look Lance sent Kitsune, whose smirk only widened slightly in return at the memory of how Eluur reacted when he'd found out Atalaya was a woman. "Well, just keep it ta yerself and there ain't gonna be any problems," he said dismissively. "What's in the boxes?"

"Oh." The chef picked up one of the boxes and opened it, revealing it to be full of delicious-looking food. "I thought we might need these since we're going ashore on that island," he said and closed the box again. "It can take us days to find Atalaya, so at least we won't immediately starve to death."

"That ain't sound morbid at all," Kitsune said sarcastically. "Food looks good though."

A smile graced Ruule's lips as he stuffed the boxes into his bag. "I wonder if we'll come across more of those birds," he said, sounding almost hopeful.

"We'll find out soon enough," Roa said as they were now close enough to the shore to land. He nodded towards a small cliff, whose height was perfectly leveled with Atlas. "We're dropping anchor over there."

Five minutes later, Atlas' sails had been reeled in, and the ship had been safely tied to several large rocks. "The island looks uninhabited," Roa said as he jumped of the ship. He crouched down to touch the ground, a shiver rushing through his body as the warmth spread like electricity up his arm. "Around 98 degrees warm." He straightened up and inhaled deeply. "No scent of smoke," he said. "So if there's a village on this island, it's a good distance from here."

He turned to face the others and sighed in frustration as his eyes landed on Lance. "You can't seriously expect to survive in this heat wearing _that_, pretty boy," he said and raised a hand to point at the shipwright's suit. "You'll get a heatstroke before we even enter the forest!"

"It makes me so pleased to know you worry about my well-being," Lance said dryly, but as much as he hated to admit it, he knew the archer was right. He sighed as he removed his coat, arching an eyebrow when Roa still didn't seem satisfied. "Anything else you can trouble me for?" Lance asked.

"You've got another suit underneath your coat," the archer stated. "How the hell do you survive the heat wearing three layers of clothes?"

Lance smiled coldly as he removed the second suit, revealing a black vest over the white dress shirt. "Four layers of clothing," he said and turned on the heel, steering his steps towards Atlas. "If you'll pardon me, I shall go hang these up."

Roa stared after him in disbelief, shaking his head in an attempt to relieve his frustration. "So," he said and turned his back to the ship. "How are we going to find the captain inside this forest?"

"Use yer amazin' navigatin' skills," Kitsune said, the gleeful smirk as wide as ever. "Ya can get us anywhere, right?"

"Right." Roa took a few steps back to get a wider view of the tropical forest in front of them. "Well, I can safely assume that mountain is the home for the beast that attacked Atlas," he said. "And since it didn't... since it captured Atalaya instead of eating her, we can assume it was a mother, and it's planning on using our captain as food for her newborns."

He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the strong sun. "Atalaya must be somewhere between us and the mountain," he said. "We should get moving so we don't miss each other."

"How do ya know the cap'n got away from big beasty?" Kitsune asked, not a hint of the usual cheerfulness in his voice although his smirk was now threatening to break his face.

An awkward silence settled between the two, but before they could begin arguing, Ruule casually strolled in between them, apparently completely unaffected by the atmosphere. "It really is hot here," he said dreamingly and waved his hands in attempt to fan cool air into his face.

The carefree attitude made the corners of Roa's mouth twitch upwards ever so slightly. "You think a flying chicken can take out the captain?" he asked of Kitsune, who shook his head in response. "I'm assuming Atalaya's got enough sense to head back the same way the bird took her."

"You seem to be fond of making assumptions." Lance had returned from the ship, now freed from two layers of clothing. He was still wearing the dark vest and his dress shirt, but he'd refused to leave his hat, and the ribbon usually tied around his neck was still in place. "Is there nothing you know for sure?" he asked. "Or are you-"

"Shh!"

The shipwright looked like he'd just been slapped in the face. "I beg your pardon, but did you just-"

"Shut it!"

Roa was staring him dead in the eyes, a concentrated expression on his face as he held up a hand to signal everybody to be completely silent. Slowly, ever so slowly, the archer turned his head to glance over his shoulder and at the edge of the forest, from where he'd just caught the sound of a branch cracking.

Ten slow seconds of deafening silence passed before the ground began quivering rhythmically, each tremor stronger than the next. "This is bad," Roa hissed. "Okay, everybody move. Run to the shores, _now_!"

Before Lance could even raise his eyebrows in confusion, a shrill roar rose from the forest not far from their location, and not more than one second passed before Roa grabbed hold of Ruule's wrist and started running, tugging the still cheerful chef along the cliff and towards the beach. An irritated sound left Lance's lips, and he and Kitsune picked up their speed exactly one second before the danger revealed itself at the edge of the forest.

The forty foot tall trees were pushed to the side as the source of the tremors and the cry revealed itself, and Lance's eyes widened as he looked over his shoulder to see an enormous lizard standing on its hind legs had appeared on the cliff. The creature had short arms, the limbs were heavily armed with claws. Its snout was covered in spikes, and as it opened its mouth to let escape another blood-icing cry, it revealed over three feet long fangs, long and sharp enough to bite through fully grown trees, let alone four human beings.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Dun dun duuuuun!_

_Well, isn't this just the best cliffhanger I've ever left you hanging by so far? Heehaw! And on a friday! Heehaw! Looks like you'll have to wait three days to find out what happens to Atalaya, as well as to the four others of the Saber Pirates._

_Have a magnificent weekend, and until monday, fare thee well!_


	87. Fight against the big cold-blooded!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode eighty seven – Fight against the big cold-blooded! Setting out to find Atalaya!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The beast threw its head to the sides a few times in attempt to spot whatever it was that it had been looking for. Just as it seemed to give up, Roa saw its nostrils begin flaring, and he and the others had barely reached the sandy shores when the lizard turned its large head in their direction.

"Oh look, I think it sees us," Ruule said and sped up a little, his carefree smile faltering only ever so slightly. "Wonder if it's dangerous."

"Looks pretty damn dangerous to me," Roa panted. "How the hell is it possible you don't feel threatened by this, but when you're all alone in Atlas' kitchen, you..."

His voice trailed off as he couldn't finish the sentence without telling the chef he had another person living inside of him, but he didn't have time to dwell on the fact as the beast emitted another screech and began pursuing them, each step making the ground quake.

"Its speed is greater than ours," Lance said as he glanced over his shoulder. "It'll catch us if we do not act fast!"

"Arite, we'll just hide in the forest," Kitsune jingled, only slightly out of breath as he sprinted over the white sand. "And if it still ain't givin' up, we fight it."

"We can't fight _that_!" Roa shouted, growling as his feet sank into the loose sand, making it harder to run. "That thing is-"

"'S what? Big?" Kitsune grabbed hold of Hebi Kotei's hilt and slowly unsheathed the katana. "'S big, I'll give ya that," he said and planted his heels into the ground to slow down, skidding as the sand failed to provide a steady support. "But ya shouldn't base big beasty's strength on its size."

He broke off the sand into the opposite direction, a maniacal smirk on his lips as he practically flew towards the lizard. Roa and the others also stopped, their eyes wide in panic as they watched the beast focus its attention on Kitsune, who raised Hebi Kotei as he drew closer to the lizard's right foot.

"Cross Cut," he sang and swung the katana twice to create the x-shaped mark on the beast's scales. One second of complete silence passed before the lizard threw its head back and screeched in pain as two deep cuts buried in its scales just above the humongous claws.

Kitsune quickly sheathed Hebi Kotei again and dashed back to the rest, snickering at their surprised expression. "Get movin'," he said. "We'll take cover in the forest now, while it's distracted."

It took Roa's mind a few seconds to process his words, and he ground his teeth together as he tightened his grip around Ruule's wrist and resumed running, his eyes focused on the lush forest. They sprinted across the white beach, and just as they were about to reach the first trees, something thick and heavy slammed down in front of them, the impact throwing them back and off their feet.

Lance was the only one who managed to land properly, and his eyes widened as he realized what exactly had blocked their way. "'Tis the creature's tail," he said and slowly turned around, a cold shiver running down his spine as he saw the beast was limping towards them, its tail suddenly longer than before.

The beast retracted the limb to the previously normal size as it picked up its speed, charging towards the quartet with its mouth open, ready to pierce its targets with razor-sharp teeth.

"I think we have to kill it," Ruule said and stood up, a devastatingly calm expression on his face as he reached behind his back and grabbed hold of Rosa. "I can use the meat for cooking later on."

He cocked the gun and fired a soundless shot, and the bullet exploded into smoke as it connected with the beast's snout. A smokescreen settled between it and the gunman, and the screech of confusion worked like a traffic light for Roa. He quickly moved to the side as the heavy footsteps of the beast picked up again, and he tore the bow off his shoulder the same second the lizard appeared again, charging straight towards Lance.

"En garde," the shipwright said and unsheathed his trench knives, raising them to parry the beast's fangs in the very last second. Lance's feet sank into the sand as his knives connected with the creature's lower line of teeth, and his arms threatened to give in under the strength of the lizard.

"Get out of the way, pretty boy!" Roa shouted and nocked five of the electrically charged arrows, aiming for the beast's throat. "Special Arrow..." He skidded to a halt in the sand, his eyes narrowing as he watched Lance tilt one of his knives straight up, the blade sliding up into the lizard's jaw. The creature threw its head back and shrieked in pain, and as soon as the shipwright was clear out of the way, Roa inhaled deeply and released the arrows. "Electrical Arrow Storm!"

The arrows flew like bolts of lightning over the sand, and before the beast could even turn its face in Roa's direction, the arrows buried in its throat. An ear-shattering cry burst from the creature as the electricity spread and its body began spasming uncontrollably.

"Impressive," Lance said as he stepped up next to Roa, his interest and attention placed on the lizard.

"Thanks, I suppose," Roa said slowly, his eyes narrowed in confusion as he stared at the shipwright, the compliment almost more shocking to him than the beast in front of him.

Lance instantly twisted his head to face the archer, a sour expression on his face. "Not _you_, you charlatan," he snapped, the mere thought making him shiver. "I spoke of my arrows!"

"Of course you did, bastard," Roa growled and none too gently punched Lance's shoulder before quickly moving aside to take himself out of the line of fire. He turned his attention to the lizard once more to see shots of blue lightning crackling over its body as it quivered and flinched, and just as the archer was about to proudly straighten his back, the lizard released its tail to its full length.

The beast began blindly slamming the tail against the ground, forcing the four to spread out over the beach, constantly moving to avoid getting flattened by the thick appendage. "Good move, blondie," Kitsune jingled as he hopped to the side, the tail crashing down only a few inches from him. "Wonder if the currents are goin'..."

Before the creature could retract its tail, Kitsune buried Hebi Kotei all the way to the hilt into the limb. A strangled groan escaped the swordsman's lips as he felt the electricity travel from the beast to the sword and all the way up to his hand. He released the hilt with a strained smirk, steam rising from his hand as he clenched it into a fist.

"Tingly," he jingled, but just as he was about to grab hold of the hilt to pull Hebi Kotei out, the tail was pulled out of his range as the beast moved to the side, a new screech rising from it as its tail had just been pierced. "Oi oi, give me the katana back, big beasty," Kitsune said coldly and dashed forward, his smile widening as he jumped off the sand and landed on the lizard's tail.

He moved along the limb in a crouched-down position to keep his balance. The flailing suddenly came to a halt and as Kitsune turned his face to the upper body of the beast, he saw it had turned its head to face him, scorching yellow eyes boring holes into his skull.

"Uh oh," he breathed out, picking up his speed as he moved towards the sword. The lizard growled and began lowering its head towards its tail to bite the intruder, and just as it was about to sink its teeth into Kitsune, he reached Hebi Kotei.

He pulled it out and raised it just in time to parry the creature's fangs. He buried his heels into the scales to not be thrown off the tail, and the smirk on his lips widened as he pushed against the teeth with his full strength. "Gimme a distraction, airhead," he said loudly.

"He means you," Roa said and nodded towards Ruule, who removed his glasses and withdrew Beauty from its holster.

"I see," the chef said, the relaxed smile never wavering from his lips. "Colpo di Bellezza." He cocked the gun and took aim, his eyebrows raised in mild curiosity. "Assassino." The gun fired, sending a large bullet flying towards the lizard's left eye. The very second before the bullet connected with its target, it exploded into several smaller bullets, all reinforced with iron spikes.

The lizard backed away from Kitsune as the projectile buried around and in it eye, and the swordsman sent Ruule a quick thumbs-up before he resumed running, swiftly climbing up the beast's back. "Let's see how ya handle this," he said, raising Hebi Kotei when he reached the beast's neck. "Executioner Technique..." He halted and took aim, his eyes opening ever so slightly as he declared, "Fox Dance Guillotine!"

He vanished from on top of the lizard only to reappear on the ground the exact second the beast's head was cut clean off its body. Roa, Lance and Ruule watched with eyes the size of dinner plates as Kitsune straightened up and sheathed Hebi Kotei as if nothing special had just happened. He barely even reacted when the head slammed into the sand only a few inches behind him, the impact making the ground quiver.

"See?" Kitsune said and shrugged, barely managing to keep from laughing at the others' expressions. "Size ain't the same as strength."

As the initial shock settled, Ruule raised his hands to clap them together. "Alright," he said cheerfully, the carefree tone back in his voice. "Let's bring it back to the ship and store it before we get going. We wouldn't want it to go to waste here, right?"

"This isn't some kind of field trip, you know," Roa grumbled quietly as he strapped his bow over his shoulder. "And how do you expect us to carry that over to Atlas? It's huge!"

"If you feel you are not strong enough, be so kind as to step to the side," Lance said and strode past the archer, making sure to turn his head so the peacock feathers dangling off his hat brushed over Roa's nose and making him sneeze. "I'm sure we can manage without you."

A scowl buried into the archer's brow as he stomped forward, crouching down to brace his hands underneath the lizard. "Don't think I'm falling for your manipulation here, pretty boy," he snapped "I have nothing to prove to someone like you. Hey, fox face and Ruule!" He nodded towards the beast's neck, hinting for the two to help carry. "You take the front."

"Hey now, who do ya think ya are, orderin' me around," Kitsune said with mock offense as he approached the creature, an almost spiteful smile on his lips as he ran a hand over the rough scales. "I'm the first mate, so I'm second in command when the cap'n ain't here, no?"

"Yeah yeah, you'll be second in command after we get this to the ship," Roa growled. "On three. One, two, _three_!"

It took them almost half an hour to carry the beast's body over the shores and back to the cliff where Atlas waited. Roa had exploded in several outbursts when Lance had accidentally slipped in the sand and lost his grip, making the full weight of the lizard crush down over the archer and effectively burying him against the sand.

"I doubt we can fit even half into the kitchen," Lance said when they finally reached their destination. "The sheer size of it is too great. We cannot leave it out here on the cliffs either, the cadaver would attract too many vicious predators..."

"I'd really hate to waste it," Ruule said. "I've never used this kind of meat before, but I can tell from what I see that it'd be quite the feast."

Lance stood quiet for a few seconds before nodding in determination. "Spare me fifteen minutes and I'll solve this problem," he said and moved towards the edge of the forest. "Then we shall search for the captain."

Precisely fifteen minutes later, the lizard had been cut up into smaller pieces and stored securely on a large raft Lance had built out of a few trees. The raft was tied to Atlas' rail, floating neatly on the calm sea, safe from any hostile predators that could attack from land.

"That ought to do it," the shipwright said as he jumped ashore, rolling down his sleeves as he casually strolled towards the forest. "Now, to find the captain."

"'S almost like a vacation," Kitsune chuckled as he followed after Lance, his hands tied behind his head. "Anyone wanna bet how long it'll take us ta find the cap'n? I'll bet we ain't gonna find 'em fer a couple of days."

"You're too relaxed, fox face," Roa sighed. "And it can't be _that_ long, Atalaya's probably on her way towards us right now, so..."

Kitsune rolled his shoulder and stuck out his tongue in response, but the archer's attention was placed straight in front of him as they moved past the countless trees, the humidity of the forest quickly making them out of breath.

"I've never seen plants like these," Ruule said, obviously impressed as he leaned forward to observe a large green growth similar to a cole. "Wonder what it's called..."

Just as he was about to reach out and touch one of the leaves, Lance appeared next to him and grabbed hold of his wrist to pull him away from the plant. "Pardon me," he said apologetically and released Ruule's hand. "But you ought not touch species you are not familiar with. See here..." He withdrew a small red bullet from his pocket. "This is one of the bullets I gave you," he said. "And if I do this..."

He tossed the bullet towards the plant, and the second it touched the outermost leaf, the growth came to life and its petals parted to reveal long, green teeth. The bullet caught between the savage flower's petals and exploded, the plant emitting a squeal as it was blown to pieces.

"An easy way to lose your fingers," Lance said and smiled at Ruule's giddy expression. "I remember merchants from Grand Line stopping by my workshop a few years ago. One of them had lost three fingers to a plant like this one."

"Hey, you two!" Ruule glanced over his shoulder to see Roa and Kitsune stand a bit further ahead on their trail. The archer was propping a curtain of vines to the side, a disgruntled expression on his face as he stared down at whatever was presented to him.

"What now?" Lance frowned as he moved closer. "You cannot have gotten us lost... already..."

His voice trailed off as he found himself standing on a hill, staring down at what appeared to be the nesting grounds of beasts similar to the one they had just fought. The grounds were still covered by the tall trees, hiding the scenery from the strong sunlight, as well as from anyone who would pass over the grounds. Countless lizards of all shapes and sizes moved around below them, the predators too busy to fight or defend their nests to even notice the four intruders up above.

"We can't go through here," Roa grit out and leaned forward to look around to see if there was any other possible way. "Not even Atalaya would go through here, so we'll have to go around to meet up with her."

"You cannot even see where the nesting grounds end," Lance said quietly. "This island is humongous. It wouldn't surprise me if the grounds stretched on for hundreds of miles."

A few moments' silence settled between them before Ruule moved up to Kitsune and raised his voice to cheerfully say, "_I_ bet we won't find Atalaya for two weeks at least."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Heehaw, I assume most of you thought you'd be reading about Atalaya's fate today, but no such luck! Ah, I'm evil, and I know it..._

_Colpo di Bellezza – Shot of Beauty_

_Assassino – Assassin_

_Until wednesday, my darlings, fare thee well!_

_**Update! **Oh sweet mother of all that is good and pure! Roronoa211 posted a fanfiction of Race! Oh my god! I'm dying of happiness right now! Ehehee, and it's a romantic story! How many of you ship this pairing? Curiosity... go read it! /s/9377384/1/Fever (enter fanfiction. Net and a slash before the story id)_


	88. Change of fate!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode eighty eight – Change of fate! The woman with the power to lock!**

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Complete darkness surrounded Atalaya as she sank towards the bottom of the lake, several fishes and driftwood softly bumping against her flaccid body. She had lost consciousness, but she could somehow feel it every time something made contact with her skin.

She wondered if she was dreaming. It felt like her body was being tugged around, and she couldn't even raise her arms to resist. Images of a large fish with large teeth danced around in her mind, and the subconscious thought of being eaten made her stir, but the weight of the water prevented her from moving.

A sudden and uncomfortable pressure against her chest made her curse internally as she figured the end was drawing nearer and nearer. _Sorry, guys_, she thought. _I guess I won't be meeting up with you after all, and_- She was interrupted as the pressure in her chest now turned into a blow of discomfort, swiftly followed by pain. _Wait a second... if I can think, that means I'm not..._

When another blow of pain appeared in her chest, Atalaya's eyes flew open and she jolted up straight, coughing violently as her lungs felt like they had caught on fire. She flipped over so she was braced against the solid ground on all four, gagging as a large amount of water gushed past her lips.

"No way! I actually did it, for sure!"

Atalaya coughed, the voice making her aware of the fact she was not dead. She wasn't even in the water anymore. She blinked rapidly as even the dimmed sunlight stung against her eyes, and once she had gotten used to the light, she turned to the direction of the voice.

Her eyes landed on a young woman, who was sitting only a few feet away from her. She was tanned with quite impressive curves, although her athletic outfit made her seem more boyish. Her dark pink hair was tied into two fluffy pig-tails, and the freckles on her cheeks almost seemed to come to life when she smiled widely.

"I thought you were dead, for sure!" she said, her voice laced with relief as she leaned back on her arms. "How're you feeling?"

"How am I..." Atalaya snapped out of her daze and observed her own body. Her clothes were soaked in water, but other than that, she seemed perfectly fine. If she didn't count the bruise that was slowly spreading out over her chest.

"Sorry about that," the woman said and raised a hand to point at the bruise. "I've never tried CPR before, for sure. Guess I was a little rough."

"You saved me from the lake?" Atalaya asked, the shock of her survival still making her brain work slower than usual. "I... thank you. Really, I thought I was done for."

The woman let escape a cheery giggle, waving her hand around as if to swat away Atalaya's gratitude. "It wasn't really me," she said. "I have a Devil's Fruit ability, so I can't swim, for sure. No, if you check your right arm..."

Atalaya twisted her arm to see a shallow cut had appeared just above her elbow. "I heard the splash when you fell into the lake, and I happened to catch you on my fishing hook," the woman said apologetically. "I couldn't pull you up, for sure, so I sent one of my pets down into the water to carry you ashore. Was quite the shock, for sure!"

A relieved chuckle erupted from Atalaya's throat as she realized just how lucky she was. "I'm Atalaya," she said and extended her arm towards the woman. "Future Pirate King."

"Pirate, eh?" the woman giggled as she enthusiastically grabbed hold of Atalaya's hand to shake it. "Sherry's my name. I live here in the jungles of Runuura Island, for sure. One moment..." She turned her head to glance over her shoulder and emitted an odd, high-pitched noise, and a few seconds of silence passed before a loud rustling was heard from within a close bush.

Atalaya instantly jumped to her feet, ready to hold her own against whatever it was that was approaching them, but she snapped out of it when Sherry chuckled at her reaction. "No worries, for sure," she said and soothingly patted Atalaya's arm. "It's just my pet, you know, the one who saved you."

A noise similar to the one Sherry had emitted sounded from the bush, and Atalaya's eyes widened as a creature with shining blue scales and clear green eyes sneaked out of hiding. It was bigger than Atalaya, but it still moved cautiously close to the ground on all four, its tail swatting against the ground as it observed her. Leather armor decorated its tail, arms and legs, and its back was covered by a small saddle.

"This is Gorra," Sherry said and poked the lizard-like creature in the cheek. It emitted a growling giggle and brushed up to her, its long tail curling up around her waist. "I found him two years ago, for sure. He was abandoned from his herd because he's so small."

"Small?" Atalaya repeated in disbelief. "It's big enough for both you and me to ride!"

"For sure, but dinosaurs are supposed to be much bigger than this."

Atalaya furrowed her brows at what Sherry had just called the creature. "Didn't dinosaurs go extinct a long, long time ago?" she asked.

Sherry looked at her with surprise for a few moments before humming in understanding. "Oh, I see," she said. "You're new to Grand Line, for sure. See, Runuura Island has a prehistoric climate, so all the animals on the island are extinct to the rest of the world. They live only here."

It took Atalaya's mind a few seconds to process Sherry's words and when they finally sank in, she inhaled deeply and perked her ears. Her eyes widened as she found she could hear distant cries and screeches, all exhilarated and feral. "They seem lively," she said absentmindedly and cupped her hands around her ears to enhance her hearing.

"It's mating season, for sure," Sherry said and rose to her feet. "That's why they're a little more on edge than usual." She dusted off her clothes, and Atalaya noticed she had several straps of rope tied to her shorts, all in different lengths. "Oh, these are for my ability," she said when she noticed Atalaya was looking. "I ate the Roku Roku no mi and became a Lock woman. I can turn everything, except living beings, into locks of all shapes and sizes."

She untied one of the ropes and tossed it at Atalaya, who instinctively raised her arms to cross them in front of her face in defense. "Lock Lock Handcuffs, for sure," Sherry said loudly, and Atalaya watched with rising curiosity how the rope began tying itself together around her wrists, quickly forming steady shackles.

"Neat," she said as she examined her restraints, grinning as he tried to remove them and found them quite durable. She quickly glanced up at Sherry, and when she saw a satisfied smile on the woman's lips, Atalaya let her nails grow into claws and pressed them through the ropes. "But you could use something more sustainable. Rope is too easy to dispose of."

"Trust me, for sure," Sherry hummed and twined her fingers through the remaining ropes. "If I'd use all of these on you, I would tie up your entire body and prevent you from even moving." She emitted a short giggle at Atalaya's skeptical expression. "Anyway, what's your ability?" she asked. "Some kind of Zoan Fruit, for sure."

Atalaya rolled her shoulders and bent down to fully morph into the sabertooth tiger. "I ate one of the Neko Neko no mi," she said, internally grinning as Gorra instantly leapt to his feet and grumbled in suspicion. Regardless of her form, the dinosaur was still bigger than her, and after glaring at her for a few seconds, Gorra opened his beak and emitted a shrill, threatening cry.

"Gorra, you stupid reptile!" Sherry huffed and slapped the lizard, but it didn't budge. "Sorry about him, for sure. He's hostile towards other predators."

The shiny blue scales seemed to rise a little from Gorra's body as he puffed up in attempt to frighten his enemy, but Atalaya held her ground. She kept her eyes locked with the lizard's, but when it moved past the line of what Atalaya thought of as her personal space, she inhaled deeply and released a feral roar, the loud sound making Sherry squeal and cover her ears.

Gorra froze where he stood, his eyes still narrowed in suspicion. Three electrically charged seconds passed before he slowly began moving backwards, his teeth bared as if to say he wasn't scared to act if Atalaya would try something funny.

"Wow, you actually managed to make him back down!" Sherry exclaimed, obviously overjoyed as she moved around Atalaya to get a good look at her from every angle. "It's like you're a natural habitat in this climate, for sure."

A chuckle rolled past Atalaya's lips as she transformed back into a human. The very second her fur disappeared, Gorra's hostility vanished as well. Instead, he strode up to her and planted his snout into her hair, playfully nuzzling her. Even in this cheerful mood, the strength of the raptor's movements sent Atalaya stumbling forward. "Whoa there, big fellow," she said and pressed her hands against Gorra's forehead as he tried to snuggle up to her again. "We're friends, so don't eat me, okay?"

Sherry smiled widely at the scene, but a distant cry caught her attention. "We should move, for sure," she said and strode up to Gorra. The reptile instantly stopped struggling with Atalaya and bent down to let his master climb up on his back. "There are dinosaurs nesting very close to here, and your roar probably attracted many vicious mothers who thinks you're here to eat their eggs."

"Oh." Atalaya scratched the back of her head and turned around as the sounds of the distant dinosaurs reached her ears. "Sorry about that," she said. "Is there anywhere we can hide? I think I saw smoke rising from the forest when I was brought here..."

"That's my house, for sure," Sherry hummed and offered Atalaya her hand. "I live up in the trees by a large swamp. It's the only place where the raptors can't come. It'll take a few hours if we ride."

"A few hours?" Atalaya wondered and grabbed hold of Sherry's hand to climb up on Gorra. She positioned herself with her back against Sherry's and grabbed hold of the edge of the saddle to secure her seat. "This island really _is_ huge."

After making sure they were set to go, Sherry gently pressed her heels into Gorra's sides. The reptile emitted a soft growl and wagged its tail a few times before setting off, its speed almost making Atalaya let up on her grip and fall off. Gorra smoothly navigated past the trees and bushes, and an excited smirk appeared on Atalaya's lips as she glanced over her shoulder to watch the scenery fly by.

A few minutes' silence passed before Sherry raised her voice again. "So, pirate king Atalaya," she said slowly. "For sure, you said you were brought here. How?"

"Big bird grabbed me off my ship," Atalaya hummed. "It was gonna feed me to its babies, but it dropped me into the lake instead."

"Tough luck, for sure," Sherry grinned. "But I must say, I'm impressed you don't seem at all worried about the rest of your crew. You must really have faith in them."

"Yeah, I..." Atalaya's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she only now realized in how much danger her friends were. The incident with the lake had totally wiped the thought out of her mind, and now it came rushing back.

Without a word, she jumped straight off Gorra's back and set off deeper into the forest, Sherry's shocked exclaim ringing in her ears. "Sorry," she shouted without slowing down or even looking over her shoulder. "But I should go search for my comrades. Maybe we'll meet again once I find them!"

"Don't go in that direction, pirate king!" Sherry yelled and tugged on Gorra's leash to get him to turn. "The nesting grounds are that way, for sure!"

"The nesting grounds?"

Sherry's voice was drowned by a screech so loud it seemed to make Atalaya's ears explode, and the shock made her lose her footing and crash into the ground. She exclaimed when the roar faded, her ears ringing like a high-pitched alarm.

"What the hell..!" she hissed and spat out a mouthful of dirt when she stood up. "Oi, Sherry! What was-"

Before she could finish her question, she was tugged backwards by the hood of her jacket. She was pulled back up into her seat on Gorra's back, and she had to lock her arms around Sherry's waist to not fall off as the raptor sprung into action. "You went too close to the nesting grounds, for sure!" Sherry shouted and leaned forward as she urged Gorra to run faster. The lizard emitted a concentrated cry and sped up, practically flying over the ground.

The shrill roar sounded again, much closer this time. Atalaya quickly released one of her hands to cover her left ear as she turned around in her seat to look around. Sounds similar to trees being snapped in two sounded from not far behind them, and just as Atalaya was about to ask what could be causing them, a giant scaly bird, almost identical to the one that had snatched her appeared by their side. This one was almost twice the size of the one that had carried Atalaya, and although it flew past the jungle's trees like an expert, it was clear it wouldn't really need to dodge anything it came across. Every time its wings accidentally hit a tree, the wood would break, snapping the tree in two like a toothpick.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Well, Atalaya goes from one danger to the other, doesn't she? I sure love leaving her in trouble... along with the rest of the Saber Pirates, of course. Heehaw!_

_Have a nice rest of the week, and until friday, fare thee well!_


	89. Outrun the Sky King!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode eighty nine – Outrun the Sky King! Fight above the ground!**

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"What is that?!" Atalaya had to scream to make herself heard over the bird's screech. "It's larger than the one I saw before!"

"It's a Mountain Royalty, a Sky King!" Sherry yelled. "One of the only dinosaurs who live up on Mokin Mountain!"

"Then why does it care if I went close to the nesting grounds if it lays its eggs on the mountain?" Atalaya asked loudly, securing her grip on the saddle as Gorra turned sharply in attempt to lose the bird.

"I said it _lives_ up on the mountain! Every dinosaur lays its eggs at the nesting grounds, for sure!"

Atalaya ground her teeth together as she glared at the Sky King. There was not she could do in this situation except for hoping that Gorra could outrun the gigantic beast. "I bet that Sky King can survive the swamps, you know!" she shouted over her shoulder. "You need to mislead it somehow or you'll lead it to your home!"

"I'm trying, for sure!" Sherry called back, a concentrated expression on her face as she twisted her head to the sides. "But if we stray too far from our trail, who knows how long it'll take us to the swamp then? We won't survive out at night, so we need to get to my house before sundown, for sure!"

Before Atalaya could answer, her attention was snatched away when the bird accidentally crushed four trees, sending splinters of wood flying like arrows towards the moving trio. Gorra growled as he quickly navigated to the side, his speed decreasing drastically as he attempted to dodge all the splinters, and the bird cried out in satisfaction as it now flew only a few yards from its target.

"We'll never escape like this." Atalaya braced her hands against Sherry's shoulders and stood up straight on the moving dinosaur's back, her teeth bared in a snarl as she urged her ability to take over her body. "I'm gonna stop it," she said, and without listening to Sherry's protests, she leaped straight off Gorra's back, her arms outstretched to strike as she flew through the air towards her chaser.

Atalaya growled as she collided with the bird's throat. She instantly buried her claws into the rough scales and dragged her body towards the base of the beast's left wing, her intentions to eliminate the bird's ability to fly. The resistance of the wind made her eyes go dry and tear up, and she had to blink rapidly to clear her vision.

"What are you doing, pirate king?!" Sherry yelled from not far underneath her. "You're going to get yourself killed, for sure! Get down from there, _now_!"

"Not a chance!" Atalaya shouted back, but just as she'd reached the feathery wing, the Sky King emitted a loud shriek and performed a quick turn and a dive in attempt to throw Atalaya off its back. She exclaimed as the sudden shift in gravity made her lose her grip on the scales and tumble down the beast's back.

Just as Atalaya was about to fall over the edge of the beast's left leg, she managed to save herself by forcing her teeth into the rough scales. One second of relief passed before another screech made her screw her eyes shut, feeling as if her eyes were bleeding. She kept her eyes closed until her instincts made her twist her body to the side, and not seconds later, the tip of the Sky King's tail slammed into the spot she'd just moved from.

"Yeah, you know, this isn't comfortable for me either," Atalaya growled and replaced her teeth with her claws. Like this, she managed to quickly move out of range of the thrashing tail, but when she was about to stand up on her feet, the bird began flailing again. A frustrated growl rolled past Atalaya's teeth as she had to crawl forward, the strong with constantly threatening to throw her off.

She didn't stop until she reached the base of the bird's neck. As she slowly rose into a sitting position, she saw Sherry and Gorra were moving over the ground a few yards beneath her. Although the Sky King knew Atalaya was currently located on its person, it was still determined to catch the two others.

"Sorry, birdie." Atalaya positioned herself so her knees rested against the sides of the bird's spine, her upper body bent forward to counter the wind. "This is gonna hurt a little," she said and raised both of her arms, extending her claws as far as physically possible. "Twin Claw Gun!"

Her arms shot forward and the claws broke past the Sky King's scales with a loud crunch. The beast emitted another deafening shriek and cringed, but the only effect was to have Atalaya's arms sink deeper into its back. "Hold still, idiot!" Atalaya growled and attempted to withdraw her arms, but before she could even begin to struggle free, the Sky King started flailing like a rodeo horse.

A surprised exclaim rose from Atalaya's throat as she was flung to the side, her arms still trapped in the scales. She slammed into the base to the Sky King's left wing, the angle of her arms now starting to protest. The beast cringed again before she could straighten up, and her right arm came free as she flew in a neat circle over the bird's spine and landed by the other wing.

"That's enough, stupid bird!" Atalaya shouted. She stood up on the beast's back and pulled her left arm back, growling as the limb finally began to come loose, and she emitted a triumphant chortle as she came free.

"Now I can deal with-" The words died in her throat when she straightened up and turned her head in the direction the Sky King was flying. It had abandoned all of its previous grace and was now heading straight towards a mass of trees, its wings fully extended to his the plants full on.

Atalaya didn't even have time to back away before the trees were snapped off in the middle when they connected with the Sky King's body. Caught in an almost paralyzed state, Atalaya watched with wide eyes as the treetops flew through the air towards her. Her reflexes kicked in the very second before one of the trees hit her head on, and she quickly urged as much fur as possible to grow on her arms before she crossed them in front of her face.

The tree crashed against her arms and upper body, and a curse broke past her lips as the impact of the hit threw her into the air, flying far above the Sky King's back and tail. She twisted in mid-air and ground her teeth together as she braced herself for the rough landing against the uneven ground.

Seconds before she landed, Gorra appeared below her from out of nowhere. Sherry was pressed flat against the raptor's back, and she sent Atalaya a quick nod before tapping Gorra's shoulder twice. The reptile emitted a determined snarl and jumped off the ground to meet Atalaya halfway in the air. She huffed as she landed on the lizard's back, her stomach taking the hit.

"Aren't you a wild one, pirate king," Sherry growled when they landed on the ground, and Atalaya silently wondered if she was talking about the Sky King or her. "C'mon, Gorra, not much further now, for sure!"

Gorra had barely picked up his speed again when the bird dove down towards them. Its beak was wide open as it flew closer and closer, not even bothering to avoid the trees anymore. Countless plants came down in the chase until Sherry finally decided that it was enough.

"Alright, hold on tight, pirate king," she shouted and stood up straight on Gorra's back, her eyes focused on the rapidly approaching beast, and Atalaya scooted closer so she was fully seated on the saddle before sneaking one arm around Sherry's legs to keep her standing while her free hand locked in a vice grip around the hem of the saddle.

Sherry grabbed hold of all the ropes hanging by her waist and pulled them off their restraints. "Okay, just a little closer, for sure..." She waited until the Sky King wasn't more than a few feet away from them before she threw the ropes straight at its face. "Lock Lock Mummy!" she shouted, and Atalaya watched, impressed, as the ropes began tying themselves together to form one long strap of rope, and when they were all tied up, they sneaked around the Sky King's body and tightened.

The beast emitted a shocked screech as its wings were forcible folded to its sides, and it only had time to turn its head to locate the source of its restraints before it crashed into the ground. The impact of the fall made the ground quiver, causing Gorra to stagger. The stumble made Sherry lose her balance and fall backwards, the base of her spine colliding with Atalaya's forehead. Atalaya just barely managed to grab hold of Sherry's shorts in time to prevent her from falling off their ride and pulled her up into the saddle.

"That was incredible," Atalaya chuckled breathlessly and glanced over her shoulder, but the Sky King was already out of their sights. "Those ropes really _can_ restrain properly."

"Thanks, pirate king," Sherry said and urged Gorra to move faster. "But that'll only restrain it for a few minutes tops, for sure. We'll keep moving until we reach my house."

"But..." Atalaya's eyebrows knitted together as she stared into the seemingly endless forest, a slight concern for her comrades settling into the back of her mind. "I really should go find my companions," she said. "They're probably searching for me, so the least I can do is to return the favor."

Sherry dismissively shook her head. "You can't do that today," she said and grabbed hold of the hem of Atalaya's shirt in case she would need to prevent her from charging into the nesting grounds again. "The sun's gonna start setting soon, for sure, and there's no way I'm letting you waltz into the nest of dangerous reptiles at night! You're no good to your crew dead, pirate king!"

A frustrated sigh puffed past Atalaya's lips as she realized Sherry was right. "Alright, fine," she said and loosened the grip on her jacket. "But aren't we going further and further away from them now?"

"Yeah," Sherry said, ducking down to dodge a low branch. "But don't worry, for sure. I'll help you find your friends tomorrow, and if we travel with Gorra, we'll find them in no time."

Gorra was still moving as swiftly as before, and it was clear he knew exactly where to go and what path to take. He jumped over some spots on the ground, leaving Atalaya wondering what dangers lured beneath the thick moss. Gorra also avoided to even go near certain plants, and Atalaya sighed as she realized she probably wouldn't survive for long in the jungle on her own.

"Okay," she said and leaned her back against Sherry's. "We'll search for my friends tomorrow."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Sky King – I figured, since there are Sea Kings, why not Sky Kings as well? Heehaw!_

_**Quick notice! **With monday's episode, I'm closing the ask box for Race for One Piece Special Talk show. You still have the opportunity to send in questions all weekend and on monday, but when I post episode 90, the ask box will be closed. So send in your last questions asap!_

_Have a nice weekend, and until monday, fare thee well!_


	90. Bumpy ride to safety!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode ninety – Bumpy ride to safety! The secret of Runuura Island!**

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The ride to Sherry's house really did take hours. At some point, Atalaya had become bored with watching the repetitive scenery, so she'd leaned her back against Sherry's and drifted off, sleeping somewhat uncomfortably on the back of the moving raptor.

It seemed like she'd been asleep for only seconds when Sherry nudged her in the side. She reluctantly cracked an eye open and was surprised to see it was the dead of night. "Whoa..." she mumbled and stretched out her arms to the sides. "We there yet?"

"Almost, for sure," Sherry said. "I just need you awake for the next part." She scooted as much forward on Gorra's saddle as possible. "Face this way and hold onto my shoulders."

Atalaya complied, here eyebrows arching in surprise as she saw Gorra had stopped in front of a large swamp. The ground looked uneven, and a dim fog rose from the watery spots. "Charming backyard you have," she said sarcastically.

"Safety first, pirate king," Sherry giggled and leaned forward just a little. "Okay, hold on tight, for sure."

The very second she felt Atalaya's hands on her shoulders, she clicked her tongue and Gorra sprung into action. The reptile took a few steps forward before turning sharply to the left and jumping, flying over a seemingly solid piece of earth. He turned again when he landed, his eyes focused on a trail no one else could see.

Atalaya had to clamp her hands down over Sherry's shoulders and squeeze her legs together against Gorra's sides to not fall off. Every time the raptor performed a sharp turn or a jump, it felt like her grip would loosen up and she'd fall. "Is there really no other way?" she grumbled when Gorra leapt straight towards a tree. His hind legs connected with the wood and he instantly pushed off again to continue the bumpy ride through the marsh.

"Like I said earlier, this is the only safe place on Runuura Island," Sherry said. "Other dinosaurs don't know the pattern Gorra's moving in, so they'd be caught in the swamps, for sure." She chuckled when she heard Atalaya's growl of frustration. "Don't worry, my house is only three minutes from here."

A bit over two minutes later, Gorra arrived at the root of a giant tree. He cried out in satisfaction and began climbing, using his sharp claws as leverage. He moved smoothly up the stem until he reached the lowest branch. Here he stopped and crouched down, and Atalaya sighed in relief when she slid down from his back. "Finally," she huffed, smiling widely at Gorra's dissatisfied growl. "No offense to you, of course," she added and stroked his snout.

"Come on." Sherry moved along the branch until she reached a rope ladder hanging from the mass of branches above. "Welcome to my humble home," she said and motioned for Atalaya to climb up first. "Up the ladder and to the right, for sure."

Atalaya equipped a wide smirk and performed a bow even Lance would've been proud of. "Ladies first," she said, her grin widening as Sherry rolled her eyes and began climbing.

"That kind of act's not gonna cut it on Grand Line, you know," she snorted. "Especially not here. If you bow down before a dinosaur, they'll dispose of your exposed neck in less than two seconds, for sure."

A chuckle rolled past Atalaya's teeth as she moved up to the branches. "I wasn't aware I was speaking with a dinosa-" Her sentence was cut short when she reached the branch, where she was greeted by gleaming yellow eyes and sharp teeth. She blinked rapidly a few times before slowly heaving her body up to sit on the branch, her eyes fully focused on the beast in front of her.

The creature was big, although extremely short in height. Its stubby legs kept it close to the ground, the moss green scales providing it with perfect camouflage. It slowly moved closer to Atalaya, clicking its teeth together in suspicion. Its nostrils were quivering as it obviously tried to determine whether to bite the intruder or not.

"Oi, Sherry," Atalaya said loudly without breaking eye contact with the lizard. "Do I have to roar at this one as well?"

"Who, Vasp?" Sherry appeared behind the lizard and planted her heel into the base of its tail. Vasp instantly cried out and began flailing, crawling to the underside of the branch the very second its tail was released. It stayed perfectly still underneath them, and Sherry had to press her hands down over her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"Sorry, pirate king," she said and motioned for Atalaya to follow. "I tame lizards here, so my house has become a home for a few of them, for sure."

Atalaya only now noticed the house that had been raised at the end of the branch. It wasn't too large, but at least the tree provided it with security and protection from unwanted intruders. It was more like a large treehouse than an actual home.

"I know it's not much," Sherry said as she shoved Atalaya through the front door. "But on an island like this, it'll do." She moved around in the dark room to light a few lamps, and an impressed smile appeared on Atalaya's lips as the room lit up. All the furniture was made out of wood, but the chairs and the couch had been padded with moss and leaves. There was a small fireplace built out of rocks, and an opening in the ceiling provided them with a beautiful view of the starry sky.

"It's cool," Atalaya said and sat down on the floor. "Must've taken you forever to build all of this."

"It would've, for sure, but I had all my friends helping me."

Just as those words left her lips, Atalaya noticed Vasp had appeared in the doorway. He seemed less hostile now, although his scales still stood on edge in suspicion. "I'm really not dangerous," Atalaya said and raised a hand towards the lizard, but before she could do much of anything, something hard collided with her temple, the impact knocking her flat to the floor.

"What the hell was that," she growled and sat up, rubbing her sore temple as she searched for the source of the hit, and she bit back a sigh when she found yet another dinosaur sitting directly in front of her. It was quite small, with the same kind of feathery wings the Sky King had. Its beak was sharper, and the entire body was thinner and more lizard-like. Extreme curiosity shone in its eyes as it followed Atalaya's every move with interest.

"How many of these things do you have?" she asked loudly and poked the small bird between the eyes, to which it emitted a loud jabber and started rolling around on the floor.

"These three live with me, for sure." Sherry had sat down in one of the chairs around a small table and was now watching the rolling lizard with a crooked smile. "Gorra was my first," she said. "Then I found Vasp, and Luna is the newcomer." At the mention of her name, Luna instantly stopped spinning, spread her wings and flew towards Sherry so she could sit down on her shoulder. "She's still in training, so her manners aren't that great," Sherry added and tilted her head to the side so Luna could snuggle against her ear.

Atalaya nodded absentmindedly and turned her head to look around in the small building. She noticed a skillfully drawn picture had been framed and hung up on the wall. The picture displayed Sherry, apparently a few years younger than now. She was holding onto a small dinosaur, its blue scales informing Atalaya that it was Gorra.

"Did you draw that picture?" Atalaya asked and stood up so she could get a better look. "It's really well-made."

"Oh no, my older brother drew it, for sure," Sherry said, sounding a little distracted. "He was so shocked I'd been able to actually tame a raptor, so he said he wanted to savor the memory."

"Your brother, huh..." Atalaya leaned closer to the picture to examine the details. "Does your brother live here as well?" she asked.

A slight delay of the answer made her glance over her shoulder to see Sherry looking distraught. "No," she said, bringing a hand up to twirl a strand of hair around her fingers. "My brother's dead."

"Oh... I'm sorry," Atalaya said and sat down on the floor again, a slightly uncomfortable feeling spreading through her body as the silence between them grew.

It took Sherry a few moments to recover, and she dismissively shook her head at Atalaya's apology. "For what? It's not your fault, pirate king," she said and forced a smile. "Besides, it happened four months ago, so I should be past it already, for sure."

"Only four months?" Atalaya arched an eyebrow in surprise. "I'm not too sure, but I think you're allowed to grieve for a bit longer than that," she said.

Sherry emitted a slightly dark chuckle. "Nah," she huffed. "I stopped grieving a while back and started planning my revenge instead, for sure."

"Revenge?"

"Yeah." Sherry stood up and moved over to a nearby cabinet and withdrew a map from withing one of the drawers. "Take a look," she said and passed the map to Atalaya, who furrowed her brow as she found herself staring at a map of Runuura Island. In the middle of the map, Mokin Mountain had been circled with a red marker, and a large cross had been drawn over the mountain tip.

"Up on Mokin Mountain, my brother lost his life," Sherry said slowly, her hands trembling ever so slightly as she pointed at the tip. "He'd climbed up to the tip to explore, and..."

Her voice trailed off, and Atalaya gave her a few seconds to regain her composure before raising her voice to ask, "How did he die?"

"Killed," Sherry said and glared down at the cross on the map as if she'd wanted to burn a hole straight through. "Killed by the island's emperor, for sure."

"Emperor?"

The ghost of a snarl danced over Sherry's face as she nodded. "The emperor of Runuura Island, the great Runuura himself," she said, her voice hoarse. "Otherwise known as Stone Dragon Rune."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN;_Dun dun duuuun!_

_Well, I'm sure you can aaall figure out what's gonna go down, but try to act surprised when whatever happens... happens. Yes._

_The ask box is now officially closed. No more questions will be accepted for this Talk Show special._

_I bring you exciting news! I'm hereby announcing the first Race for One Piece Movie! It'll be released along with episode 126, on... 9th of september, if I counted it right. It's name is "Prince of Skypiea". I'll be creating a separate story on my FF profile, under the name "Race for One Piece Movie Collection", and this, the first movie, will be the first "chapter". I'm not gonna reveal anything about what's gonna happen in the movie, because.. well, because I like torturing you guys._

_So!_

_Have a nice beginning of the week, and until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	91. Through the forest and down the river!

**Race for One Piece**

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**episode ninety one – Through the forest and down the river! Night at Runuura Island!**

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"Where do you think we-"

Roa quickly turned around and pressed his right hand over Ruule's lips to muffle his voice. The forest was pitch black as the sun had already set, but the sounds of the reptiles were still as loud as ever. "You can't raise your voice like that," the archer hissed and looked around, holding his position until he was certain they were still unnoticed. "We could get killed if we're attacked now."

"Refrain from frightening our chef, charlatan," Lance muttered and grabbed hold of Roa's wrist in attempt to release Ruule. "Panic is not what we would want him to do."

"This guy couldn't panic even if we'd set him on fire," the archer snapped. "Just keep it down, okay?"

The chef nodded, a wide smile on his lips as Roa lowered his hand. "Apologies," he said quietly. "I just wanted to ask where you think we're going."

They had been walking for hours. After they'd discovered the nesting grounds, they had decided to start moving south along the grounds in hope to find the end of it quickly. Even after almost six hours of walking, six hours that included several attacks from smaller, but still very vicious raptors, they'd had no suck luck as they still had the nesting grounds in their sights.

"I honestly have no idea where we're going or what's waiting ahead," Roa sighed and stopped to lean against a tree. He could barely tell the others apart from the night's dark, but he straightened up when he realized he could only make out two silhouettes. "Where's fox face?"

"Right behind ya."

A loud exclaim burst from Roa's lips as Kitsune had spoked right into his ear. The archer quickly clamped down his hands over his mouth to prevent any more sounds from escaping him, but he feared it was already too late as all the surrounding noises from the reptiles had suddenly died down.

"Fantastic," Lance breathed out and crouched down to make himself harder to spot in the dark. "If another lizard attacks us, I shall feed you to it as bait."

Roa parted his lips to give a sour retort, but the sound of leaves rustling nearby made him change his mind, and he settled for just sending the shipwright a murderous glare. They stayed as quiet as they could while the rustling continued, drawing closer and closer each second.

A sudden tug at the hem of Lance's dress shirt almost made the shipwright follow Roa's example and exclaim, but he had the time to cover his lips before anything had the chance to come out. "Lance?"

His eyes widened as Ruule's voice reached his ears, the chef sounding somehow agitated. "I know the timing maybe is a little bad," Ruule hissed, a slight tremble in his arm. "But I think a narcoleptic attack is about to kick in again."

Slight panic rose through Lance's body as the reality of the chef's words took form in his mind, and before he could turn around and alert Kitsune and Roa, he felt Ruule's grip on his shirt loosen up. Two seconds of complete silence passed before a muffled snicker was heard from right next to Lance, and he barely even had time to curse internally before the chef's estranged voice broke the night's silence.

"What the hell are you guys doing on the ground, eh? You have to please the audience!"

A loud screech was the first reply Eluur received, but it seemed to suit him just fine. He ignored Lance and Roa's protests, as well as Kitsune's laughter and stood up straight as heavy footsteps began moving in their direction, the cracking of the trees only making the toothy grin on his face spread further.

"What are you doing?!" Roa shouted and jumped to his feet, dashing up to the chef and grabbing hold of the hem of his shirt. "Are you out of your bloody mind, Ruule?"

"Eluur," the chef corrected him, emitting a dark chuckle as he could make out the shocked expression on the archer's face even through the dark. "And _I_ am not gonna keep hiding in the bushes to avoid a fight with a large gecko!"

Before anyone could react, Eluur withdrew Beauty from its holster and took aim. There was no way he could see what he was aiming at, but the sound of the footsteps was more than enough to guide him. He fired a soundless shot, and Lance had to squeeze his eyes shut when the bullet exploded into bright light that stung the shipwright eyes, who hadn't seen light for over two hours.

Their chaser stopped momentarily, a panicked shriek echoing through the trees as the light seemed to blind it as well. "We have ta move now," Kitsune said and strode past the three others. "Deeper inta the forest ta hide."

"Right." Roa blinked rapidly to get rid of the sparks in his vision, and the second they had cleared, he grabbed hold of Eluur's wrist and tugged him along as he darted past the trees. "Take his right arm, pretty boy," he growled as Eluur began struggling.

"Release me," the chef said loudly and hopped out of range from Lance's hands, cursing as his shoulder collided with a tree. "I'll run on my own!"

"I don't think so," Roa snapped. "We have to keep moving without a single stop now, and I'm not so sure you can handle the temptation to break that pattern." He sped up when he felt Eluur comply, and the four of them quickly navigated through the forest. Their pursuer was not many yards behind them, gaining on them for each passing step.

For nearly five whole minutes, they kept running without slowing down for even a second. The dark forest looked exactly the same no matter where they ran, and just as Kitsune had started wondering if they were running in circles, they broke past a curtain of vines only to find themselves charging straight over the edge of a wild river.

"This ain't good," Kitsune said, the only sign of distress being a slight twitch in his left eyebrow as the momentum of his lunge made it impossible to prevent from falling into the stream. He barely had time enough to inhale deeply before he hit the water, all strength instantly leaving his body.

Lance's eyes widened as he watched the swordsman disappear beneath the surface, and the image of the man's nine tails sparked the memory that Kitsune had the abilities of a Devil's Fruit and was unable to swim. The strength of the stream made it almost impossible to control the direction of one's movements, but the shipwright secured a hold on his hat and dove towards the bottom of the river, where he managed to navigate by pulling himself forward using the rocks at the bottom. It didn't take long for him to reach Kitsune, and Lance instantly resurfaced once he'd grabbed hold of his kimono.

He sucked in a lungful of air the very second he broke through the surface, but there was little joy to his small victory as the strong currents of the stream constantly threatened to drag him underwater again. "Bloody hell," he coughed and twisted his head to the side to spot a sign of salvation. He couldn't swim properly as his arms were occupied with keeping Kitsune's head out of the water. "Now what do I do?"

Barely had those words left his lips before Eluur and Roa appeared next to him, the archer's long hair coming loose of its braid and plastering to his face. "You got fox face?" he breathed out, coughing as water flowed past his lips and down his throat. "Eluur, help them stay above the surface!"

"What are you planning to do?" Lance grit out, but Roa didn't even hear him as he struggled to tear his bow from his shoulder He managed to nock an explosive arrow, and he waited for the currents of the stream to momentarily let up before he fired.

The arrow buried into a nearby tree and exploded, its power half the usual thanks to the water, but it was still enough to make the stem break. The tree fell forward and splashed into the water not far away from the four, and Roa quickly reached out to grab hold of its branches. "Get fox face up on this," he said and used his free hand to help Eluur and Lance push Kitsune up on the tree.

Together they managed to get the swordsman out of the water, and even if his time beneath the surface hadn't been too long, he had fallen unconscious. "Alright, you two next," Roa coughed and hoisted himself up on the branch so he could drag Eluur aboard their small vessel.

"No," Lance said and pushed his hat into Roa's hands when it was his turn to climb aboard. "I will assist you in steering this. I doubt one could keep it upright alone."

He reached down below the surface and grabbed hold of an underwater branch, sucking in a deep breath before lowering himself into the water and swimming underneath the tree. Lance coughed as he rose up on the other side of the steam, from where he could help keep the tree leveled. "My hat," he said and reached through the branches to receive his precious headwear from Roa.

"Alright, the stream can't be this rough all the way to its end." The archer spoke loudly to be heard over the sound of the river. "We'll keep the tree balanced until we reach calmer waters," he said and turned his attention to Eluur, who was sitting at the end of the stem. "How's fox face?"

"Alive," the gunman said as he leaned forward to check Kitsune's pulse. "What happened to this guy? He can't swim?"

"He has indulged a Devil's Fruit," Lance said. "As long as we keep him out of the water, he ought to be fine."

"Well, we should at least be safe from those lizards here," Roa said and looked around, huffing in relief when he found they weren't followed anymore. "And it shouldn't be long before we reach safe waters. We'll rest once we go ashore."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Am I too cruel towards my characters? Sometimes I think I might be. I just never let them catch a break._

… _Heehaw!_

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	92. Almost out of harm's way!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode ninety two – Almost out of harm's way! Ride the stream to safe waters!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The stream's rough currents seemed to carry on forever. Roa and Lance were exhausted by now, but the relentless waters kept trying to throw the tree upside down to drown all the passengers. Kitsune still hadn't woken up, and having to sit perfectly still was quickly turning Eluur more and more restless.

"Aren't we there yet?" he grumbled for the eleventh time in the past forty five minutes. "I'm getting tired of this."

"Oh, you think _you_'ve got it rough?" Roa shouted over the sound of the rushing water, his exhaustion making his patience flare even easier than usual. "You wanna come here and take over?"

"Not a chance, archer," Eluur cajoled, but his glee quickly died down when Roa didn't respond. The gunman sighed as he began spinning Rosa around on his index finger, silently admiring the silvery glow the moon bounced off the engravings. "Are we there yet?"

"You better shut your trap or I'll use you to create a keel for this tree!"

Eluur threw his head back and released a barking laughter, and he had to grab hold of the stem to not topple over and fall into the stream. "You're fun to mess with," he chortled, rolling into full laughter again when he saw Roa's grip on the branch tighten to the point he could snap the wood in two.

"You ought to keep it down, Eluur," Lance piped up, sounding strained and out of breath. "Your voice might attract more reptiles, and we are in no condition to fight at the moment."

The gunman's laughter slowly ebbed out, but he kept chuckling silently to himself even after Lance had turned his attention back to the task of keeping the tree leveled. The company was quiet for a few minutes more until Eluur's patience snapped again. "This is too boring!" he shouted and banged his fist into the stem. "I don't want to be in charge of this body if we're not fighting anyone!"

"So let Ruule back," Roa said, the idea more than welcome to him. "I'm sure he won't mind the boredom."

"It's not that easy, stupid," Eluur growled. "The airhead doesn't know about me, so he can't take charge until our body's no longer threatened. And this stream is more than enough to spark our alarm, even in Ruule's opinion."

"Speaking of which," Lance said and glanced over his shoulder at the chef. "How come you surfaced back in Atlas' kitchen? You can't possibly have felt threatened in there."

"I didn't. But I also appear whenever _he_ feels too exhausted," Eluur sighed. "Ruule had spent a few days awake in the Extermination Pirates' prison, so after the battle against the Shadow Pirates, he was just about ready to collapse altogether. His weakness let me surface."

Lance nodded, instantly regretting the motion as he accidentally dipped his nose underneath the surface and sucked in a small amount of water into his airways. He broke down coughing, causing his hand to momentarily slip from its hold on the branch, and the tree cringed violently.

"Keep your hands on the vessel, pretty boy," Roa said loudly as the stem threatened to roll over. "We don't need you to drown us right now."

Although hundreds of sour retorts erupted into Lance's mind, he was too tired to even answer the archer. Judging from the position of the moon, it was already well past midnight, which meant they had been on the move on the island for nearly ten hours, and just as the shipwright was about to ask when they'd reach calmer waters, the currents around him let up on their grip.

"I think we're getting closer to a safer part of the river," Roa said and released one hand to try and paddle towards the edge of the stream. It didn't get him anywhere, but it still had more results than a few hours ago. "We should be able to paddle ashore in a few minutes."

True enough, seven minutes later the stream had settled completely. The casual flow of the water allowed Roa and Lance to direct the tree to the edge of the river, and Eluur instantly jumped ashore. He turned his head to the sides to try and locate any nearby beasts, but when he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, he crouched down and grabbed hold of Kitsune's arms and pulled him to solid grounds.

Roa groaned in content as he crawled ashore and let his body go flaccid against the grass. He lay with his back against the ground, panting heavily as he stared up into the sky. "It's two o'clock in the morning," he said and closed his eyes momentarily. "We need to find a secure place to sleep."

"The only place I could imagine secure would be on the branches of a tree," Lance said and dragged his feet towards the largest tree he could find. "This ought to be suitable." He inhaled deeply to force his muscles to kick in as he hoisted himself up on the lowest branch. "Make yourself useful, Goldilocks, and assist me in hoisting Kitsune up here."

"Thanks, fancy pants, but I ain't wanna be carried like some lass."

Roa sat up straight and turned around to see Kitsune getting to his feet a little bit away from them. He looked extremely satisfied as he stretched his limbs and yawned, and a slight suspicious feeling made the archer furrow his brow. "You look a little too well-rested," he said and rose to his feet. "Were you actually unconscious?"

"If sleepin' counts as bein' unconscious, then yeah," Kitsune jingled. "I was awake about two minutes after ya pulled me out of the water – thanks fer that, by the way – but I figured I couldn't really do much ta help ya in the situation, so I went ta sleep."

Lance sighed, in relief more than anything while Eluur broke out into another round of laughter, and Roa drove an inner battle with himself about whether he should feel relieved or strangle the swordsman for making him worry. He decided on the first opinion and shook his head before laying back down. "You'll keep watch while the three of us sleeps," he growled and closed his eyes.

"Seems fair," Kitsune said and crossed his arms over his chest as he sat down in a comfortable position, leaning against a tree. "Nighty night, all of ya."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Lance was the first one to wake up later that same day. He sun already stood high in the sky, the blinding rays shining through the leaves of the trees. The shipwright groaned slightly as he slid down from the branch he'd been sleeping on and stretched his back, his muscles stale from sleeping on the hard tree.

"Good morning, Ki... tsune?" He straightened up and looked around, realizing the swordsman had vanished. Roa was still sound asleep, and a small trail of drool on the chef's face informed Lance that Ruule had resurfaced in their sleep. "Kitsune?"

"Best of mornings ta ya, fancy pants."

The causal greeting came from up above, and the shipwright tilted his head back to spot Kitsune sitting high up on a branch of the same tree Lance had been sleeping in. The swordsman was busy examining Hebi Kotei for any signs of scratches or other damage. "Sleep well, did ya?" he asked.

"As well as one can sleep on bark," Lance sighed and looked down at the two others. "Any problems during the night?"

"Nope. I did stray inta the forest fer a bit, so if anyone of ya was attacked while I was away, ya can blame it on me."

Lance couldn't help but chuckle at the happy-go-lucky tone, but he instantly adapted a serious expression as he straightened his hat and casually stepped down straight on Roa's stomach. "What the-" The archer woke up with a loud exclaim, a scowl of deepest fury crawling onto his face as he glared up at the shipwright.

"Oh, do pardon me," Lance said and quickly danced out of range from harm's way. "I must've missed your sleeping form in the dirt. You blend in so well..."

Roa retorted by tearing his bow from his shoulder and smashing the hard edge into the back of Lance's knees, causing the shipwright to lose his balance and fall forward onto the ground. "Morning to you too, pretty boy," the archer growled and stumbled to his feet. "Oi, Ruule, time to wake up!"

The chef instantly sat up as if he hadn't even been asleep at all. He blinked in surprise a few times before jumping to his feet, the cheery smile fast on his lips. "Thanks for taking care of me while I was asleep," he said, and Roa couldn't help but roll his eyes at the attitude.

"Worry not," Lance said and strolled past the archer, sending him a cold glance as he leaned forward to dust off Ruule's shirt. "You were of absolutely no trouble." He subtly jabbed Roa in the side when he heard him scoff. "What is your plan now, navigator?" the shipwright asked loudly.

Roa scowled at him before clearing his throat and looking around. "We're pretty far off course now," he said. "But if we go back a little we should find the nesting grounds, and then we can easily find our previous path again." He motioned for the others to follow, but he'd only taken a few steps when he realized Kitsune was hadn't moved from his spot in the tree.

"Fox face?"

"Do ya really wanna go that way?" Kitsune slid down from the branches and stood by the tree's roots, offering the archer one of his mischievous smiles.

"I'm pretty sure, yeah."

"Okay, if ya say so," Kitsune sang and strolled up to the archer, casually nodding his head as he passed him.

Roa groaned at the response and rubbed his eyes in frustration, inhaling deeply so as to not lose his nerves. "_Why_ don't I want to go in this direction?" he asked.

"Oh." Kitsune stopped and raised a hand to point to the east, a lopsided smirk on his face. "There's a village about two minutes that way," he said. "I figured _that_ would'a been yer first choice."

A few seconds of silence passed before Roa turned to look in the direction Kitsune pointed. "You... a village?" he repeated in disbelief.

"Uh-huh. I ventured there last night. Really nice people considerin' their location.

Roa raised both of his hands to claw at his forehead. "Why didn't you say so immediately?" he growled. "And wait, you were supposed to keep watch during the night but you left us out in the open to go exploring?!"

A bright laughter rose from Ruule's throat and he began moving in the direction Kitsune had pointed out. "How lucky, a village," he said, seemingly completely overtaken by delight. "We should go visit them!"

"Indeed we should," Lance said and followed after the chef, a wide smile stretching his lips at the sight of Roa's confused and frustrated expression.

"Ya gonna stand there all day, blondie?" Kitsune cajoled and followed the two others, an all too satisfied expression on his face.

Roa stood still for almost ten full seconds before moving after the rest. "This crew is going to be the death of me," he muttered, slamming his fist into a tree as he passed it by. "Wonder if I'll even be alive when we find the captain..."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Poor Roa. He's got it really rough, hasn't he? He's like the guardian of the rest of the crew, having to deal with and look after everybody else. Poor archer..._

_Have a nice weekend, folks! Until monday, fare thee well!_


	93. Kitsune's plan of mischief!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode ninety three – Kitsune's plan of mischief! The lone village of Runuura Island!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"See, a village. Just like I told ya."

Lance watched in slight amusement as Kitsune took the lead, casually striding straight towards the village's main gates. Heavy security walls had been raised around the small town, and the gates were guarded by several strong-looking men. They were dressed in simple cloth pants, and armor made out of lizard scales covered their arms and shoulders.

"Do you think it's safe to just walk up to them, fox face?" Roa asked as his eyes landed on the spears and swords in the guards' hands, but Kitsune dismissed his question by raising his hand to wave at one of the guards, whose face lit up with a grin.

"You found your underlings, sir," he said and raised a hand in a leisure salute to the swordsman. "I was worried they'd been carried off in the dark of night."

"Underlings?" Roa repeated in disbelief and sent Kitsune a smoldering glare, to which the swordsman just chortled.

"Aye," he said and none too gently slapped the archer's shoulder. "Sleepin' like li'l lambs all night. There ain't many lizards around here, yeah?"

The guard shook his head, his chest swelling in pride. "They know better than to charge in here," he said and turned to nod at his comrades. "We've fought them for decades, so they've learned they'll be killed or injured if they come too close. Now, let me get you guys inside..."

He raised his spear to point at the sky and drew a circle in the air. A loud creaking sounded as the large wooden gates slowly opened up to reveal the small village, consisting only of wooden houses. The largest building was located in the exact middle, and Roa figured that was where the village elder lived.

"They look like they don't get visitors very often," Ruule said as more and more villagers appeared in the doorway of their houses. They were all dressed in the same type of robes, but the extreme variation of hair colors made it impossible to confuse their identities. The young children peeked out from behind their parents' legs, their eyes wide as they stared at the foreigners.

"You're the first ones to visit us this year," the guard said and reached out to properly greet them. "My name is Colter, I'm the head of the warriors in Washi Sanctuary."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir Colter," Lance said and bowed slightly as he shook the guard's hand. "My name is Lance. I am the proud shipwright of the Sa-"

"South Blue Mechanic Company," Kitsune interrupted and slammed a hand down on Lance's shoulder, shaking his head almost unnoticeably when the shipwright stared at him with surprise. "I snagged fancy pants here a few months ago ta join us in bounty huntin'."

Apparently completely unaware of Lance and Roa's petrified expressions, Colter turned his attention to Ruule, who looked just as curious as the guard himself. "I'm Ruule," he said and smiled brightly. "I recently joined as a temporary chef."

"Go with the flow here, blondie," Kitsune mumbled and leaned over Roa's shoulder as the guard began questioning Ruule about his culinary skills. "'S just fer now."

"I got it, I got it," the archer grit out and shrugged out of Kitsune's grip. "Oi, Colter," he said loudly and crossed his arms over his chest. "My name is Roa, and I don't care what you think I do for a living, but let me make one thing very clear." He reached out to the side and fisted the collar of Kitsune's kimono, his scowl deepening when the swordsman chortled at the action. "I, no matter what this guy says, am _not_ his underling!"

A surprised expression appeared on Colter's face, but before he could question the statement, a young woman stepped up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir Colter," she said and offered him a quick bow of the head. "But lady Elie wishes to speak with our guests now."

"Of course, of course."

Colter turned around and motioned for the four to follow him to the big house. While Ruule happily picked up his pace and trotted after the guard, Roa and Lance both gathered around Kitsune. "So," Roa said slowly, his right eyebrow twitching as he glared daggers at the swordsman. "Apparently we've become bounty hunters now. Is there anything else we should know?"

"Would ya cool it down?" Kitsune said, his smile threatening to split his face in two at the reactions he had caused. "It's always easier ta get information out of someone if they think yer a good guy. Do ya think we would'a gotten ta chat with the town leader if they knew we were pirates?"

Roa groaned as he could actually hear the reason in Kitsune's words, however little reason there was. "I do hope you know Atalaya would most likely not approve of this," Lance said after a few seconds' silence. "The captain would never disregard the fact that we are pirates."

"Aye," Kitsune said, an almost spiteful tone in his voice. "And after we've pried out everythin' we can from these guys, feel free ta correct the facts. But we need information about the Log, as well as about how we could find the cap'n, so keep yer traps shut fer a li'l while, yeah?"

With that, he strolled past them and towards the big house. "Ah, that's right." He glanced over his shoulder, a toothy grin on his lips. "I might've told 'em that we're lookin' fer a violent madman who escaped ta this island," he sang. "Ya know, ta loosen their tongues a li'l."

"What the-"

"Come on, you three!"

Colter's loud voice sounded from the entrance of the big house, effectively interrupting Roa's outburst. The archer ground his teeth together in attempt to cool his aggression as he stomped after Kitsune. "Get your act together, charlatan," Lance mumbled. "Nothing good will come from exposing us now."

"I know, dammit," Roa growled, straightening up as they reached the door, and Colter offered them a slight nod before pushing the doors open. He kept going until they were fully opened, and the woman from before motioned for the four to follow her inside. Ruule released an appreciative chuckle when they stepped into the beautifully decorated room. It was small, but the colorful flowers and the engravings on the walls gave it an almost royal appearance.

"My name is Keisa," the woman said as they moved across the room, where an opening with bead curtains waited. "I serve directly under lady Elie, our shaman." She soundlessly moved the beads aside and bowed her head as she waited for them to move inside. "She's waiting for your presence."

Kitsune casually strode past Keisa and into the room, the thought of showing humility in front of the village's great leader not even crossing his mind. Ruule instantly followed his head, and Roa sighed deeply at the mannerism of the two before moving into the room. "Forgive their behavior," Lance said and bowed his head before following after the others.

If they had found the previous room beautiful, it was nothing compared to this. Live candles with a greenish flare lit up the walls to reveal paintings of mythical creatures, ornate vases filled with even more rare flowers, and an altar with a large stone statue of a lizard with wings had been raised by the northern wall. A pile of ling grass lay in front of the altar like an offering gift, a sacrifice.

"I have brought them, lady Elie." Ruule hopped straight into Lance's back as Keisa had appeared out of nowhere right next to him. Her eyes were steadily focused on the pile of grass, and a few moments of silence passed before the pile moved. Roa's eyes widened as the pile stood up on edge, slowly heaving up and down.

"Keisa..." A pair of arms came into vision from inside the straws of grass. They drew a large circle in the air and stopped as they pointed straight towards the roof. "You once again fail to remember my words..." The arms drew three symbols into the air, the candlelights flickering at the gusts the movements created. "Have I not told you time and time again..?"

Lance cautiously took a step back as the pile slowly turned around to reveal the frame of a short woman dressed in what looked like weaved spider's web. She was leaning forward, so her face was not visible, but they could now see what they had mistaken for just a pile of grass was in fact her cape, although the fact that it was made out of grass didn't change.

The woman stepped down from the altar and walked over to the middle of the room, muttering under her breath. "Have I not told you... to stop calling me lady?!" Her head flew up as she shouted the last words, and Kitsune couldn't help but snort as he found they were standing in front of a girl who had barely reached the teen years. Her hair was black, she had seven piercings in both of her ears along with several markings painted onto her face. "Calling me lady makes me feel so old," she said. "Obey my orders, Keisa!"

"Do forgive me, lady Elie," Keisa said and bowed low in front of the girl. "It will not happen again."

"It just did, didn't it," Ruule said, offering Elie a wholehearted smile as she turned to glare at him. Like Kitsune, he seemed completely oblivious to the presence of an obviously god-like human in the room. "Nice to meet you, Elie." He stepped right up to the girl and eagerly shook her hand, failing to sense the extreme offense and rage Keisa was emitting.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Eh..._

_I know this a really weird part to end an episode at, but I couldn't find a better part to cut it off at. It's the furthest thing from a cliffhanger. But it'll get better the next episode, promise!_

_Oh Kitsune... Kitsune, Kitsune, Kitsune... I'm sure when you opened your emails and read the episode title, all you Kitsune fangirls went "HEEHAW!", am I right?_

_Heh._

_Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	94. Nothing is for free!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode ninety four – Nothing is for free! A new target and a bargain!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Elie stared at the chef for five silent seconds before releasing herself from his grip and turning back to Keisa. "You see?" she said. "That's a good way to address me!" She whirled around before Keisa could answer and stomped back up to the altar, where she quickly saluted the stone statue with a bow of her head before taking her seat on the floor. "You're bounty hunters," she stated and glared at them each in order. "You're here to hunt down a dangerous madman."

"Aye," Kitsune said and crossed his arms over his chest. "We're here ya hunt 'em down, but we ain't got a clue where ta start. Wanna share any suggestions?"

The girl's eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "Just how dangerous is he?" she asked, completely ignoring the last question.

"Dangerous enough to escape the marines twice, take down several vicious pirates and steal a kingdom's priceless jewel without getting caught," Lance said, frowning as he heard Roa sigh behind him, obviously from the hidden admiration in the shipwright's voice. "If nothing is done, chances are your village will become a target."

A crease appeared on Elie's forehead as she turned her eyes to the shipwright. She leaned forward and tilted her head to the side, and a cold shiver ran down Lance's spine as her eyes seemed to drill holes through his skull. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"What about _your_ strength," Elie said. "What makes you think you can catch this madman?"

"We've done it before," Roa grumbled, finally agreeing to play along Kitsune's game. "It's the marines who can't seem to manage him once we hand him over."

Elie nodded absentmindedly, her eyes still focused solely on Lance. "You," she said and pointed at the shipwright after a few moments of silence. "Give me your hat."

The blunt order made Lance blink repeatedly before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, but this is not something I can give you," he said and grabbed hold of the edge of the headwear. "'Tis far too important to me."

"I don't want to keep the hat, I just want one of the flowers!"

Somewhat confused, Lance slowly removed his hat to examine the roses Mira had once attached to the white lace. "For what cause?" he asked.

Elie stood up and began circling the room. "Lily, orchid, gardenia, koki'o," she counted, tapping her index finger to every flower she passed. "You can find every flower that grows on Runuura Island in this room, but roses are foreign to this climate. I want to add one to the collection."

"But-"

"He might give you a rose only if you give him another flower in return," Ruule interrupted and stood up, moving around to room and examining the vast collection of flowers. When he'd circled the room once, he stepped up next to Lance and pointed at a lone vase in the room's southeastern corner. "How about that one?" he asked.

Highly unwillingly, Lance turned around to look at the flower Ruule had picked out. It was quite big for a flower, its white petals long and thin. The flower had the vague shape of a lily, but the light green color with the yellow middle differed from the usual species. "'Tis beautiful, but-"

"He'll take that one," Ruule chirped happily and motioned towards the flower, and Lance groaned silently at the chef's ability to be completely unable to read the atmosphere.

"Do I not get a say in this?" the shipwright muttered.

"Nope." Roa snatched the hat form his hands and carefully began loosening the smallest rose. "You can sacrifice this to find the ca-_agh_!" The archer bit his tongue as Kitsune stomped down on his toes to prevent the slip. "To find the captive," he grit out and sent the swordsman an offended glare. "Here's the rose."

He tossed the flower to Elie, who equipped a delighted smile as she caught the red petals. "Take the flower you want," she said and waved her free hand as she moved up to the altar. "And tell me what you want to know."

While Lance fetched his new ornament and attached it to his hat, Kitsune decided to take the lead on the conversation. "First we need ta know how long it takes fer the Log ta settle," he said. "That is, if ya know what a Log is?"

"How rude, hunter," Elie huffed. "The village might look primitive, but we're not monkeys!" She bowed her head in front of the lizard statue again before turning to face them. "Before I give you any information, let's discuss the price," she said and sat down.

"Price?"

Elie propped up her elbows on her knees and rested her head in her hands, a toothy grin making its way to her lips. "Nothing is free," she said. "Information from me will cost you, and it just might cost you a lot."

Kitsune's smile turned innocent, and that made him seem more dangerous than usual. "How 'bout I _don't_ kill ya in exchange fer information?" he said, his tone almost angelic in spite of the dark words as he gently stroked Hebi Kotei's hilt.

Both Roa and Lance sighed at his words, and the shipwright was just about to excuse Kitsune's manners when he noticed Elie's smile had grown wider. "Threatening me won't get you anything, hunter," she said smugly. "I can see you're more than strong enough to kill me and probably everybody outside, but you would gain absolutely nothing from it."

Kitsune tilted his head back and released a bark of laughter. "Ya ain't half bad fer a li'l brat," he sighed.

"What about the rose?" Lance piped up. "Would that suffice as payment?"

"It would've," Elie said and nodded. "But you took the Snake Lily in return. She pointed at the flower that had been stuck between the knots of the hat's lace ribbon. "So you have to make a new offer."

The room fell silent as the four searched their minds for something that could provide a suitable payment. Finally, Roa raised his voice as an idea popped into his mind. "Does it have to be something substantial or couldn't we just do you a favor or something?" he asked.

Elie observed him for a few seconds before snapping her fingers. Instantly, Keisa stepped up next to her, a small pouch resting in her hands. "You four are strong," Elie said and grabbed the pouch. "In exchange for information about the Log and how to track down your target from here within less than five days, you'll have to calm this island's emperor."

She opened the pouch to show them a silvery powder contained within. "This is a strong sedative," she said. "Emperor Runuura usually rests peacefully up on Mokin Mountain, not bothering to pay us any heed. But lately, the emperor has been running berserk. He comes down from the mountain and attacks everything around him once every week, and so far, he's slain over half of our warriors."

Elie stood up, walked over to Kitsune and handed him the sedative. "You'll have to place a wound on his neck," she said gravely. "It'll be rough, but you need to pour every last spore of the sedative into his neck, or it won't have any effect."

Kitsune arched an eyebrow as he weighed the sedative in his hands. "Ain't this a li'l too much fer a human?" he asked. "I don't mind either way, but this is probably gonna kill 'em."

"Whoever said emperor Runuura was human?"

A smug grin danced over Elie's lips as she turned to face the stone statue on the altar. "Emperor Runuura," she said loudly and bowed down before the grey reptile. "The great Stone Dragon Rune, please forgive us our insolence and accept the gift we send your way!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"A... a dragon? Dragon as in the legendary demon of the sky, dragon?!"

Atalaya blew out a puff of air she didn't realize she'd been holding when Sherry nodded solemnly. A deafening silence settled into the small house as Atalaya stared down at the map, trying to imagine what the dragon looked like. "What... I mean..." She inhaled deeply a few times to clear her mind. "Are you going after the dragon on your own?" she asked. "Aren't they crazy strong?"

"Of course," Sherry sighed. "But I have to avenge my brother. Runuura killed him, so I need to kill Runuura in return, for sure. Or else he won't be able to rest in peace."

"I get that part, but standing up against a legendary beast on your own is suicide," Atalaya stressed and stood up to begin pacing around the room. "You getting yourself killed won't solve anything."

"I'm not alone, for sure." A warm smile graced Sherry's lips as she raised a hand to pet Luna, who was still seated on her shoulder. "I have my three partners," she said. "I've trained them for this purpose, and we'll fulfill our goal together."

As if on cue, Vasp scurried into the room and lay down by Sherry's feet, growling softly in content. Atalaya watched the scene with eyebrows creased in concern, and after a few seconds of silence, she released a frustrated groan. "Okay," she said and plopped down in her seat again. "But I want you to let me help you."

Sherry's eyes widened and she sat up straight so fast Luna fell from her shoulder with a terrified squeak. "What did you say?" she breathed out.

The corners of Atalaya's curled up into a determined smirk, and her orange eyes practically burned with anticipation. "I'll help you," she repeated and clicked her teeth together. "I'll help you defeat the dragon."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Yeah, we all knew Atalaya was gonna say that, right? Right? Heehaw!_

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	95. To fight a dragon!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode ninety five – To fight a dragon! Sherry's secret weapon!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Sherry looked like the ground had disappeared from underneath her feet. She stared at Atalaya with eyes the size of dinner plates, her lips slightly parted as she tried to produce any words at all. "Why would you do that, she finally managed to press out.

"Because you saved me," Atalaya said, grinning at Sherry's reaction. "I'd be dead if it wasn't for you, so I want to return the favor."

Vasp and Luna both glared at Atalaya when they sensed their master's distress. The lizards cautiously moved closed to the stranger, their teeth bared to intimidate. Atalaya looked at them with a slightly curious expression, and she loudly cleared her throat to get Sherry to call back the beasts. "It's not that big of a deal, you know," she said and rolled her shoulders.

"Not a big deal?!" Sherry exclaimed so suddenly the lizards jumped up, startled, and hurried away from the source of the sound. "It's a _huge_ deal, pirate king! We're talking about a _dragon_ here, for sure! I can't ask you to risk your life!"

"Right back at _you_," Atalaya said loudly to make herself heard over Sherry's ranting. "You taking on a dragon on your own is suicide! I didn't know you brother, but I'm sure he wouldn't want you to put your life on the line like that!"

A single tear rolled down Sherry's cheek, and she ground her teeth together as she refused to look away from Atalaya. "You're actually serious, pirate king," she mumbled. "Do you really want to risk your life for this? Against a dragon, one more person might not make a big difference, for sure."

"Who said I was talking about just _one_ more person?" Atalaya asked and grinned widely. "I have a crew, remember? The ones were supposed to go look for in a few hours?"

Sherry nodded and took a seat in front of her, her nerves finally settling down. "Where did your crew step ashore?" she asked and motioned for Atalaya to point out the location on the map.

"I'm not sure," Atalaya huffed and scratched the back of her head. "Like I said, I was taken from my ship before we landed, so..." She examined the map for a bit before pointing at the nesting grounds. "You found me in a lake near here, right?" she asked. "The bird that snatched me carried me straight from the ship towards the mountain, so..." She tapped her index finger to the western edge of the island. "I'd say over here."

"Alright," Sherry said absentmindedly. "They could've taken two routes, for sure, south or north around the nesting grounds. From there, it's hard to say where they would've gone..." She kept muttering to herself as she studied the map, tracing every possible path leading from the nesting grounds. "Are you sure they aren't waiting for you at your ship?" she asked after a few seconds' silence.

Atalaya released a bark of laughter. "No way," she chortled. "They wouldn't have the patience to wait. They're probably running around on the island as we speak."

A sigh escaped Sherry's lips as she returned her attention to the map. "Well, that's only going to make them harder to find, for sure," she said quietly. "By the way, how many from your crew can use Haki?"

"Use what?"

Sherry raised her head to look at Atalaya's confused expression. "Haki," she repeated and straightened up, a slight crease settling into her forehead. "Don't tell me you haven't heard of it. You can't possibly go up against a dragon without Haki, for sure."

"What _is_ Haki?" Atalaya asked, impatience mixing with her curiosity at Sherry's reaction.

"Oh, how should I explain this..." Sherry fell silent, chewing on her bottom lip as she wondered which words to use. "Okay," she said and stood up. "Haki is almost like a sixth sense, for sure. It can let you fully experience everything that transpires around you or let you heavily increase your defense and damage. Almost like a form of doping, you know?"

"Umm..." Atalaya tilted her head to the side, her confusion only growing. "So, Haki is like a drug?" she asked.

"No, no, absolutely not." Sherry looked around in the room to see if there was anything she could use to demonstrate. "Come with me for a bit," she said and moved towards the exit.

They moved down the tree, where Gorra was sleeping peacefully. To not wake him up, hey walked as silently as they could, with Atalaya following Sherry's every exact move across the swamp. "Where are we going?" she hissed when they finally reached the end of the marshlands.

"Just around the corner here," Sherry mumbled and moved past a few trees to arrive at a large opening in the forest. "This is where I train."

Atalaya's eyes widened when she saw several enormous boulders lying around in the glade. The ground was covered with rubble, most likely from boulders that had been smashed into hundreds of smaller pieces. "What happened here?" she asked as she followed Sherry into the middle of the opening. "Did _you_ break all of these?"

"With Haki, for sure," Sherry said and crossed her arms as she leaned against a boulder roughly the same height as her. "See, with just your average strength, the damage you'll do against a dragon is minimal, like this." She untangled one of her arms and clenched her hand into a fist, grounding her teeth together as she slammed it into the hard rock. Absolutely no damage befell the boulder, and Sherry groaned as her hand started to ache from the hit.

"Like this, _I_ took more damage than the 'enemy'," she said. "But if I use Haki..." Atalaya watched with piqued interest as Sherry widened her stance and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply through her nose. She stood like this for five seconds before her eyelids parted and she emitted a growl as she drove her right hand into the stone again. A gust of air was whipped up upon the contact, and Atalaya's eyes widened when she saw cracks began spreading from the place where Sherry's hand had hit the boulder. The cracks traveled across the entire rock, and a few moments passed before ir shattered into smaller pieces.

"See?" Sherry huffed and straightened up, raising her arm to show her hand had taken absolutely no damage. "That's Haki, for sure. My hand is fine and the boulder is broken."

"That was incredible!" Atalaya exclaimed. "How can I learn to use Haki? Could you teach me?"

An extremely satisfied expression settled on Sherry's face as she cleared her throat. "I won't be able to teach you about it, pirate king," she said. "Haki slumbers within everybody, for sure, but only a few people can actually activate it, and if you've never used it before..." She sighed and dismissively shook her head. "I've only been able to use Haki for five months or so, so I can't control it perfectly yet," she said. "I have to properly prepare my body every time before I use it, for sure. You can only use it if you've awoken to it."

"Awoken, huh..." Atalaya stared down at her hands, clenching them into fists and unclenching them again. She suddenly felt somewhat inferior compared to Sherry, and her lips curled back into a feral grin as she let her ability sprout fur on her body and enhance her muscles. "I wanna try," she said and moved up to the closest boulder she could find. "I wanna try using Haki."

Sherry parted her lips to protest, but the sight of Atalaya's determined expression made her change her mind. She crossed her arms and stood back, one eyebrow arched in expectation. Atalaya inhaled deeply and closed her eyes momentarily to focus all of her strength into her arms. An intense feeling of focus passed through her body, and when she felt ready, her eyes snapped open and she released all the air in her lungs in a roar as she slammed both of her fists into the stone.

The boulder shattered from the impact, and for a moment, intense pride flared up inside of Atalaya before she turned to face Sherry only to see she was trying to keep a straight face. "Did I do it?" Atalaya asked, enthusiastic. "Did I use Haki?"

"I don't think so," Sherry said and smiled apologetically. "That was your usual strength alone, for sure. Which is quite impressive, I might add." She giggled at Atalaya's disappointment and patted her on the shoulder as she strode past her to exit the glade. "Maybe you won't need Haki to help me," she hummed. "Your strength is almost as powerful as my Haki, so you just might be able to damage emperor Runuura."

When Atalaya still looked unsatisfied, Sherry sighed. "You'll know it when you use it, pirate king," she said. "It's a feeling you get, like even the air around you would be under your command. But now, you should get some sleep if you want to look for your friends later on."

Atalaya nodded curtly and glared down at the crumbles of the boulder she'd hit as if they had offended her. "Haki, huh..?" she muttered, sticking her hands down her pockets before trotting after Sherry.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_I know it's pretty early in the story to mention Haki, but fret not! Atalaya won't learn how to use Haki on this island. Or the next one. Or the one after that, or the one after that! It'll be a long, long while before she'll learn how to use it._

_Have a nice weekend, and until monday, fare thee well!_


	96. Accept the terms of the bargain!

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode ninety six – Accept the terms of the bargain! Let the search begin!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Silence stretched on in front of the altar as the four members of the Saber Pirates stared up at Elie with eyes wide in shock. She calmly returned their glares as if what she'd just said wasn't anything to get so surprised over.

"A real dragon?" It was Ruule who decided to break the silence, and Roa couldn't hold back a sigh when he saw the chef's eyes were practically sparkling with anticipation. "A creature with wings who can breathe fire?" he asked, letting escape a quiet chuckle as Elie nodded. "Impressive..."

"Will you accept this bargain?" Elie asked loudly to interrupt Roa, who had parted his lips to comment on Ruule's carefree reaction. "In exchange for information, will you travel to Mokin Mountain and make peace with emperor Runuura?"

"A'course," Kitsune said and tossed the pouch of sedatives to Lance, who barely managed to catch it in his minor state of shock. "But before we do that, we wanna find who we're lookin' fer, so start talkin'. How do we track 'em down?"

Elie nodded in satisfaction at his answer and snapped her fingers again, and Keisa instantly appeared between them, a large scroll in her hands. She crouched down and rolled out the parchment, revealing it to be a very detailed map of Runuura Island. "You're currently located here," Elie said and pointed at the image of Washi Sanctuary. "You most likely came to the island by boat. Where did you leave your ship?"

"By these cliffs," Roa said and crouched down so he could point out their trail. "We entered the forest and walked to the nesting grounds. We followed the edge to the stream _here_," he traced his fingers to the river they had fallen into, "and secured a raft on which we managed to float all the way to the village."

"And where is it most likely the madman is?"

"Well..." Roa paused to scratch his neck, unsure of how to form his words without giving away the true identity of their target. "We... we were about to capture _him_ from his small sailboat when a giant bird appeared and snatched him," he said. "The bird probably dropped him somewhere between the cliffs and the mountain in the middle." He tapped his index finger to the green area just above the lake.

Elie nodded absentmindedly and rubbed her chin as her eyes traveled over the map. "Well then," she said after half a minute. "You should find him in three days if you move straight north from here."

"How did you arrive at that conclusion?" Lance asked and leaned forward to get a proper look at the map. "I mean, there are several ways he could've gone..."

"You said the madman was dropped north of this lake," Elie said and pointed. "So, to the west he would find the nesting grounds, to the east the mountain. If he'd rounded the lake and gone south, our lookouts would've sighted him by now. The only way he could've gone would be north."

Roa hummed in agreement as he could hear the logic in her words. "So, we'll travel north," he said and stood up straight. "Is there a specific trail we could follow? Or a compass to keep us from getting lost?"

"Not really, just walk along the river until you reach a lake. Walk around the lake until you reach the nesting grounds, then follow the edge of the grounds until you reach a swamp. The swamp, along with the area around it is the northernmost part of this island, so that is where you should look."

"What 'bout the Log?" Kitsune asked. "When can we get goin' again?"

"A week and a half." Elie rested her head in her hands and looked at Kitsune with an expectant smile. "Is there anything else you want to know?" she asked. "The favor you're doing us is quite big, so you would have the right to demand more information from me."

Before Kitsune could answer, Ruule raised a hand and asked. "Are there any recipes unique to this island?". Somewhat surprised, Elie shot a sideways glance at Keisa, who nodded.

"I will guide you to the town chef," she said and motioned for Ruule to follow her past the bead curtain and out to the streets. "We have prepared a room for you to stay in, in case you need to rest before your journey."

They left Elie's house and followed Keisa to the far end of the town, where a small unused house waited for them. "I'll just go and have a quick word with the chef, okay?" Ruule said, not bothering to wait for an answer before he skipped after Keisa towards Washi Sanctuary's only restaurant, leaving behind a slightly dumbfounded trio.

"How can he be so damn easygoing?" Roa sighed when he strode into the house. "He never seems to get upset. And don't say it's a quality I could learn from!" he added loudly when Lance parted his lips to say just that.

The shipwright shrugged and sat down by the table. "Remember he is not a pirate," he said. "To him, this is more of a field trip than a lifestyle." Silence followed his words, and he sighed dramatically before waving a hand around. "Let us drop that subject," he said and looked at Kitsune. "What will be out next moves to locate the captain?"

"Speaking of the captain," Roa piped up before Kitsune could say anything. "How are you planning on telling Atalaya about our little mission? I mean, she'll most likely have nothing against doing something like this, but will she approve of the fact that we made plans without talking with her first?"

"Aye, ya worry too much, blondie," Kitsune sang and dismissively shook his head as if to get rid of an annoying fly. "I'll tell the cap'n everythin', but we gotta find 'em first, okay?" When he noticed Roa's suspicious look, he added, "I'll even tell the cap'n I called 'em a madman, and when I get my ass kicked, yer gonna be satisfied, yeah?"

Roa snorted, half in amusement and half in irritation. "Alright, fox face," he said. "We'll wait until Ruule gets back, then we leave this place and go look for-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, the door flew open and the chef moved inside, the wide smile on his face threatening to break his cheeks. "We're ready to go?" he asked and looked around at the others.

"You're finished with the chef already?" Lance asked, surprised.

"Si." If possible, Ruule's smile widened and he pulled out a wad of paper from his pocket. "29 new recipes," he said and chuckled, apparently brimming with joy. "Once I said I was on my way to fight Runuura, the chef practically forced me to take these."

"That's good," Roa said and clapped his hands together. "Now, if that's all we had to do here, we're heading out. Our destination are the marshlands up north."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"We're never gonna find them," Atalaya groaned as she lay down on the floor of Sherry's house. "I'm going to wander Runuura Island for all eternity and become a lost soul, haunting the jungle in an endless search for my friends."

They had been on the move for two full days. They had started out by riding along the north side of the nesting grounds, bringing them to the cliffs where they had found Atlas. The ship was peacefully floating on the calm ocean, not showing any signs of disturbance. Everything indicated the ship had been deserted for a few days already, so after a quick tour to make sure everything was fine and to introduce Sherry to the ship, Gorra brought them back the same way they had arrived.

From the swamp, they had traveled straight east with the thought that the four others would've walked around the marsh and continued towards the island's easternmost part, but after many hours of constant running, they had almost reached the shores of the eastern edge of the island without finding a single trace of anyone except the dinosaurs walking around in the area.

Of course, their field trip had been all but eventless as reptile after reptile decided to hunt them down one at the time, leading to a vast series of life-threatening battles with beasts twice the size of Atalaya, Sherry and Gorra together.

"Don't worry, pirate king," Sherry giggled as she studied the map. "We just have to widen our range, for sure. We'll find them in no time."

"Wonder what they've been up to," Atalaya said absentmindedly as she stared up into the roof. "I'm still saying we should check out the nesting grounds. I can imagine Kitsune would lead them straight into the grounds, beside himself with joy of all the lizards he could kill."

"He likes to kill lizards?"

"No, he just likes to kill."

A somewhat confused expression flashed over Sherry's face, and she stared down at Atalaya for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. "You sound way too nonchalant, pirate king," she grinned. "But you shouldn't worry, for sure. "Tomorrow, we'll use Luna to help tracking. She'll fly above the trees and call out if she finds your friends."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_These episodes may seem a bit shorter, since this exact point is when I decided every episode should __have "around 1500 words". At first, I was really strict to keeping it, but trust me, the episodes are gonna shift between 1500 and 2000 words (sometimes, I just can't contain my writing...)_

_Peace out folks, and until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	97. Arrive at the swamps!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode ninety seven – Arrive at the swamps! What danger lures in the bushes?**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

After almost three days of constant walking, Kitsune, Roa, Lance and Ruule were finally getting closer to the marshlands. They had walked as instructed, along the edges of the lake and the nesting grounds, but the risky path had lead to an occasional unwanted visit from a vicious reptile.

On the positive side, these attacks provided them with the food necessary for survival. Ruule had been eager to try out some of his new recipes that included the meat of these raptors, and so far, the eleven dishes he had cooked had been delicious.

Luckily, there had only been one additional surprise visit from Eluur, and it had occurred during the daytime. As if suddenly determined to prove he was just as good at cooking as Ruule, he had chosen one day when the chef had been exhausted from walking for hours, and he had successfully won the three others over by creating a delicious lizard meat roast topped with herbs from the jungle.

They had slept in trees two nights in a row, and although the bark was incredibly uncomfortable, no one – apart from Kitsune – had complained; after walking for over twelve hours straight, bark seemed almost as comfortable as down.

"We're getting close," Roa said and crouched down to tentatively poke at the ground. "The moss is thicker and moister than before, which means we're almost there." He straightened up and looked around, his eyes narrowing as he tried to figure out in which exact direction the swamp was.

"We have not come across any reptiles in the past hours," Lance said, a slightly ominous feeing crawling up his back. "Perhaps the reason is the marshlands. Where may be some hidden creature luring about, scaring away all natural habitats.

"All the better for us." Roa motioned for the rest to follow him and started moving left, pushing the heavy leaves of the bushes aside to create a trail for them to follow. "Oi, Ruule," he called, tilting his head back to look up towards the treetops. "You seeing anything yet?"

The chef had shown an impressive talent for climbing trees, and he'd quickly become their lookout, to keep an eye out for dangers as well as any signs of Atalaya. "Nope," he said as he climbed back down, smiling widely as he swung himself back and forth from the tree's lowest branch. "There's a giant bird flying around the eastern part of the island, but other than that, nothing."

Ya plannin' on draggin' us 'round the entire island, blondie?" Kitsune asked in a mock whine. He'd started complaining rather quickly after they'd left Washi Sanctuary, and Roa's patience would've broken long ago had he not realized it was Kitsune's way of entertaining himself. "We're gonna be bored ta death before we find the cap'n."

"Sorry about that, _bounty hunter_," the archer growled and looked over his shoulder to shoot a smoldering glare at Kitsune. "But this is the only direction we got from your source, so we'll keep-"

Roa bit off his sentence as he realized his left hand, which had been braced against a tree now was stuck. He turned around, his eyes widening when he found the limb had been tied to the stem by the bark itself. "What the hell..." he muttered. He hadn't felt anything at all, and the bark closed around his hand hard enough to completely prevent him from moving it.

"Why are we stopping?" Lance asked.

"I have no idea," Roa said slowly, "Oi, pretty boy, cut this off."

"Cut what..?" The shipwright moved up to Roa and leaned forward to examine the restraints. A crease settled into his brow as he studied the bark, and instead of cutting the archer loose, he twisted his head to the sides. "That... is not normal," he said and unsheathed his trench knives. "A tree can't tie knots like that. There has to be someone else here."

"Great observation," Roa snapped impatiently. "Now, if you're done stating the obvious, would you just cut- _behind you_!" He turned as best he could with his restraints and managed to aim a kick at Lance's shin, causing the shipwright to exclaim and fall backwards. Just as he hit the ground, a long coil of thick rope came flying from out of nowhere and tied itself around the tree.

"What the-" Lance's eyes widened when he stood up, realizing that if he hadn't been tripped, the rope would've tied him to the tree by his neck. "Kitsune, Ruule!" he shouted and assumed a defensive stance. "We are under attack!"

Ruule secured himself by climbing up a few branches, both guns in his hands, while Kitsune just sighed dramatically and unsheathed Hebi Kotei. "We're finally gettin' some action?" he asked of no one in particular, chucking darkly as he stepped forward to welcome whoever it was who attacked them. "By all means, try ta entertain me."

Barely had those words left his lips before three more strands of ropes came flying in his direction, and he cut each of them in half with a single and leisure swing of his katana. "They're hidin' behind the large yellow bush, airhead," Kitsune said loudly, and Ruule instantly fired a bullet in the given direction. It exploded into a smokescreen, and a loud exclaim and a shriek was heard from within the bush before their assailant revealed itself.

A woman with pink hair, riding on a blue raptor came bursting out of the smoke. Several ropes dangled from the woman's hands, but she was too busy wiping her eyes to use them. The reptile charged blindly, heading straight towards Roa and Lance.

"Cut me loose," Roa said loudly and angled his body so he wasn't in the way of the shipwright's line of sight. "I'll stop them with an arrow, but I need both of my hands for that!"

Lance complied and slashed through the bark with a swift swing of one of his knives, and the second Roa was freed, he tore his bow from his shoulder, nocked an arrow and fired.

The lizard seemed to react on instinct and dodged, but the sudden shift in gravity threw the woman off its back and onto the ground. Apparently oblivious to the fact that its rider had fallen, the reptile quickly regained its former course and charged straight at Lance, who widened his stance and raised his knives just in time to meet the lizard's claws and teeth.

"Well well." Kitsune's smile widened as he towered over the woman, who was sitting helplessly on the ground, the straps of rope scattered all around her on the ground. "Care ta tell me why ya attacked us?" the swordsman asked and let Hebi Kotei's blade rest against the woman's right shoulder. "Or do I kill ya right away?"

When the woman didn't answer, Kitsune let an almost delighted sigh gust past his lips. "Yer choice," he said and raised Hebi Kotei. "Have a nice trip ta the afterlife."

"Hold it, Kitsune!"

The voice made him freeze, the blade only a few inches from the woman's neck. A flash of disappointed passed through his body before he backed up a few steps and tilted his head back, his smile stretching as far as it could go as he stared up into the trees. "It ain't nice of ya ta hide like that," he said loudly. "We've been lookin' fer ya, cap'n."

All eyes turned up to a nearby tree, and Lance emitted a sigh of relief when he saw a sabertooth tiger was standing on one of the branches, a perfect spot to follow the ongoing scene on the ground. The feline emitted a loud snort and leaped straight off the branch and onto the ground, where it transformed into a human.

"I've been looking for you too," Atalaya said and offered Kitsune a wide smile before turning around and raising a hand to greet Roa, who had a new arrow aimed at Sherry, and Lance, who was still holding back the blue reptile. "Lay off, you stupid lizard!" she said loudly, and Gorra instantly backed away.

The shipwright huffed in relief when the raptor moved away, and he quickly sheathed his knives before moving up to Atalaya. "It has been unbearable, traveling under the command of these brutal apes," he said and bowed down in front of her. "I'm glad to see you are well, captain."

Before Atalaya could respond, Roa slid the arrow back into his quiver, hooked his bow's grip around Lance's neck and pulled him back. "Brutal apes?" he repeated darkly, kneeing the shipwright in the back to drop him to his knees. "You say that as if _you_ have been behaving like a perfect gentleman this entire time, pretty boy!"

"Nice to see you two are still the same," Atalaya grinned as the two engaged in a lively quarrel. "Where's Ruule?"

"Over here." The chef slid down from his tree and happily skipped over to her. "It's been a few days," he said and beamed at her. "What have you been up to since last time?"

"We'll catch up later." Atalaya patted Ruule on the shoulder before moving up to the woman, who was still sitting on the ground. "Everybody, this is Sherry," she said and offered her a hand. "She's been helping me look for you during these past few days."

"Nice to meet all of you," Sherry said and raised a hand in hello. "Sorry for the rough greeting. I just had to make sure you were all strong enough, for sure."

"Strong enough for what?" Roa asked, momentarily interrupting his fight with Lance to send Sherry a suspicious glare.

Atalaya offered him a toothy grin as she raised a hand to point up towards the top of Mokin Mountain. "We're helping Sherry take down the _dragon_ who lives up there," she said.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Dun dun duuun!_

… _Wait. Doesn't everybody already have the same target? I think they do. Huh. Too bad; Atalaya was really looking forward to shocking her fellow pirates..._

_Oh well._

_One more week until episode 100 and the Talk Show are posted! You guys getting excited yet? I know I am. I'm writing on the final page(s) of the special episode, and I can't stop smiling like an idiot while typing._

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	98. Set off towards the battle!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode ninety eight – Set off towards the battle! Guardians of Mokin Mountain!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

A long silence stretched on after Atalaya had spoken, and after almost twenty full seconds, she lowered her hand with a slightly surprised expression. "I thought you'd be shocked," she said and scratched the back of her head. "I mean, to find out that there not only _is_ a dragon here, but that we're gonna _fight_ it as well..."

"Hearin' ya say that makes everythin' pretty simple," Kitsune chuckled and raised a hand towards Lance, who passed him the pouch of sedatives Elie had given them. "We're sorta on a mission ta battle the dragon ourselves."

Atalaya's eyebrows flew up underneath her bandana. "Eh? A mission?" she repeated. "A mission from who?"

"The village leader," Roa said and shot a sideways glance at Kitsune. "We had to accept this task in return for advice on how to track you down. Even after fox face here told them-"

Kitsune interrupted the archers' sentence by slamming the hilt of Hebi Kotei into his ribs, effectively making him choke on his own words. "After I told 'em how urgent it was fer us ta find ya," the swordsman said, his smile only widening under Atalaya's suspicious glare. "They wanted somethin' in return, so we said we'd do 'em the favor of calmin' down big beasty up on the mountain."

"Huh..." Atalaya stood quiet for a few seconds before her smile returned and she clapped her hands together. "Well, that's just about perfect," she said. "Is there anything you guys need or should we get going right away?" When they all shook their heads, she turned to Sherry. "What about you?" she asked.

"Give me one second..." Sherry turned around, inhaled deeply and emitted a high-pitched whistle. Instantly, her tree dinosaurs appeared next to her, lined up in formation. "Everybody, this is Gorra, Vasp and Luna," she said. "I've tamed them to be completely obedient, for sure, and they're gonna help us kill emperor Runuura."

"Kill..?" Lance exchanged a quick glance with Atalaya before clearing his throat. "Pardon me, lady Sherry," he said. "But we are not here to _kill_ the dragon. By orders of miss Elie, head of Washi Sanctuary, we have come to _calm_ the emperor down from his state of berserk."

"Aye," Kitsune said and bounced the pouch of sedatives up and down in his right hand. "We're supposed ta open a cut in the beast's neck and pour this in. Should do the trick of calmin' it down."

Sherry crouched down to pick up her scattered ropes, so her expression was unreadable. "Is that enough for you?" Atalaya asked. "Is it enough if we stop Runuura from killing more people, from creating more tragedies like the one with your brother?"

A few seconds of silence passed before Sherry stood up straight, a submissive expression on her face. "It's the next best thing," she said and shrugged. "But I think I can be satisfied with that, for sure." She offered Atalaya a soothing smile and climbed back up on Gorra's back. "Well then," she said and raised a hand to point up at the mountain. "We head to Mokin Mountain straight away."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It took the group almost two hours to find the path that let them climb up the steep mountain. They had spent these hours walking along the base, trying to spot the secluded entrance to what apparently was the only way to climb up the rocky walls.

"If we'd try to go any other way, we'd be killed for sure," Sherry said as they moved higher and higher. "The mountain walls are fragile from all the cracks the emperor and the Sky Kings have created, and if we were to be attacked while on a stray route, there's a large chance pieces of the mountain would come loose and crush us all."

"What makes this path so stable?" Ruule asked and tentatively stomped down on the ground.

"This trail has been reinforced by emperor Runuura," Sherry said. She slid down from Gorra's back and crouched down to run a hand over the stone. "He made this so the villagers could bring him sacrifices every month. It had to be stable enough to not fall apart, for sure, even if he'd go on a rampage like this."

Lance bent down to examine the ground and his eyes narrowed when he found the mineral was unknown to him. "What does this path consist of?" he asked. "I have never come across this form of stone before."

A slightly nervous smile graced Sherry's lips as she straightened up. "I'm not too sure," she said. "See, while normal dragons can spit fire, emperor Runuura can spit... well, whatever that material is. That's why fighting him is so dangerous, for sure. I don't know his strengths and weaknesses."

"All we have ta do 's cut open big beasty's neck, right?" Kitsune said gleefully and strolled further up on the path without paying his surroundings any heed whatsoever. "That ain't seem like such a problem."

Sherry sent a slightly disbelieving glance towards Atalaya, who pressed her lips together in amusement as she watched Sherry try to get Kitsune to understand the gravity of their situation. The swordsman completely disregarded everything she said as if he'd been a bored kid trying to ignore his pushy parent.

"I can't handle that guy, for sure," Sherry huffed a few minutes later, when she'd finally given up on Kitsune. "He seems to be immune to common sense."

Atalaya couldn't suppress the short laugh that bubbled past her lips at those words. "He's just bored," she said. "He isn't used to long-time traveling like this, where he has to go several days without mercilessly slaying anyone." She released another chortle as Sherry's confusion only grew. "Don't worry, once he's face to face with the dragon, he'll-"

"Atalaya."

She bit off her sentence and turned to Roa, who had halted a few yards in front of them, his hand slowly reaching for his bow. "Something's heading our way," he said as loudly as he dared. "I can hear the sound of wings... you don't think it's the dragon?"

"No, not yet, for sure," Sherry said. "Emperor Runuura lives many miles upwards, it has to be a Mountain Royalty!"

Barely had those words left her lips before an all too familiar screech reached Atalaya's ears. She ground her teeth together in determination and sprinted up towards the end of the trail to find a more open space for the upcoming battle.

"Where are you going, captain?" Lance shouted and sped up as well, but before he could take many steps, a heavy wind began pushing against him, and a large bird landed in between him and Atalaya, whose eyes widened when she instantly recognized it as the same creature who had attacked Atlas.

The Sky King turned its head to face Atalaya, and she widened her stance as she braced herself for an attack. "This time, I'll take you out," she growled and broke off the ground just as the beast opened its beak to emit another ear-shattering shriek. Atalaya threw herself onto the ground as the Sky King thrust its head forward to stab her with its beak, and she tumbled over the ground until she was clear on the other side of its legs.

"Seems like they act as the emperor's guardians," she said when she broke her skid and halted next to her crew and Sherry. "Keep it occupied while I go for its neck!"

Without waiting for a response, she assumed her hybrid form and jumped, burying her claws into the Sky King's left hind leg and began climbing, moving like a lizard over the beast's scales. It instantly began flailing, crashing its heavy wings into the mountain walls and making the ground quake.

"Okay, we need to stop it from destroying the walls!" Roa shouted and quickly nocked an arrow and coated it with paralytic poison. His eyes narrowed as he attempted to locate a blind spot, and the grip on his bow tightened when he spotted an area on the beast's left with that was neither covered by scales or feathers. "Poison Arrow," he growled and directed the arrowhead to its target. "Paralytic Shot!"

The arrow flew in a neat bow and towards its target, and the Sky King emitted a panicked shriek as the arrowhead buried into the undefended area and the poison began spreading throughout the wing. The limb instantly became less efficient than the healthy one, although it was still not enough to completely disable it.

"A promising start," Lance mumbled as he followed Atalaya's example and jumped up onto the Sky King's back. He unsheathed his trench knives as he sprinted towards the injured wing, the weak spot now clearly pointed out thanks to the arrow. "Knife Tango," he declared and shoved his right-handed knife all the way to the hilt into the vulnerable are. "Pirouette Slash!"

He kicked off the scales and spun around once, making the wound double in size before landing on his feet again and pulling the knife up, creating a long and deep gash on the base of the beast's wing in the process.

The Sky King emitted another screech as its wing finally stopped moving, having the working muscles cut off completely. It staggered to the side, crashing into the mountain wall and creating an even bigger risk than before. The tremor caused Lance to lose his balance and fall, and he quickly raised his arms to shield his face before slamming into the ground.

Before he had the chance to recover, the Sky King regained its balance and moved its legs to get a good stance, and Lance's eyes widened when he realized the beast was only seconds away from stomping down a foot heavily armed with claws straight on top of him. His position made it impossible to move away, and just as he was about to get flattened, a bullet connected with the beast's leg and exploded.

Another confused screech worked its way up from the Sky King's throat and it moved its leg to the side and away from Lance, who instantly jumped to his feet and moved backwards to take a stand next to Ruule. "Much obliged," he said breathlessly.

The chef just offered him another one of his bright smiles and cocked Rosa to change the projectile used. "It looks like Atalaya's preparing to finish," he said calmly and began firing again, aiming bullet after bullet at the Sky King's right leg. "So if you want to have some fun with the bird, now's your chance."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Geez, Ruule, take the situation a bit more seriously, would you? No? Okay._

_Weekend time, ladies and gentlemen! Until monday, fare thee well!_


	99. Bringing down the guardians!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode ninety nine – Bringing down the guardians! Drawing closer to danger!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kitsune shook his head and chuckled as he stepped forward and unsheathed Hebi Kotei. "I suppose I could use a li'l fun," he said and widened his stance in preparation to pounce. "Blondie, gimme a weak spot on big beasty's other wing. I wanna try somethin' out."

He broke away from the ground before Roa even had the chance to respond. "Impatient bastards, all of them," the archer scoffed as he took aim and fired another arrow, burying it in the exact same spot as he had on the opposite wing.

A mildly curious expression settled on Kitsune's face when he reached the correct location. He studied the arrow for a while before crouching down and ripping it out to replace it with Hebi Kotei's blade. "Blunt Slash," he jingled and placed both his hands on the hilt to add to the strength required as he cut the bird's wing clean off using the blunt side of his katana.

"Ain't that a sight, it actually works," he said, chuckling darkly as the Sky King seemed to lose its mind trying to get rid of all the unwelcome guests on its back. Just as Kitsune was about to start moving to safe grounds, the beast stopped moving completely. For a few seconds, it stood completely still as if it had been frozen. Then, slowly, it fell forward and crashed into the ground, where it lay motionless.

"Ya still alive, cap'n?" Kitsune called and moved closed to the Sky King's neck only to find several gashes had opened along its neck. A sudden rustle made Kitsune raise his katana, but his smile widened when he saw Atalaya crawl up from underneath the beast's head. "Took ya long enough," he said and sheathed Hebi Kotei.

"Yeah, well, it's not easy to open a fatal wound on someone with a neck longer than you and me together," Atalaya huffed and dusted off her clothes as she stood up straight. "The vital spots aren't the usual ones."

Kitsune parted his lips to give a snide remark, but he was interrupted when the rest of the Saber Pirates came crawling towards them over the dead beast's body. "You almost missed your chance for entertainment, Kitsune," Ruule chuckled and patted the swordsman on the shoulder before casually strolling past him and Atalaya.

"Way to go, pirate king." Sherry appeared behind Roa and Lance, a wide smile on her lips as she looked down at the Sky King. "You really are quite strong, huh?" she said. "All of you, for sure. To find a Sky King's weak spot on its wings that easily... and to actually disable it so fast."

"You were of much help," Atalaya said sarcastically while Roa tried to not look too satisfied with the praise he'd received. "Why didn't you join the fight?"

"I wanted to see you work as a team, for sure," Sherry said and equipped a mock pout. "And I have to say, you're really getting my hopes up high about defeating Runuura." She giggled and snapped her fingers, and all three of her dinosaurs instantly appeared around her. "Don't worry, I'll join in when the next one appears."

Atalaya arched an eyebrow at the last remark. "The next one?" she repeated. "Just how many of these beasts are we gonna fight before we reach the dragon?"

A bubbling laughter rolled past Sherry's lips as if she'd never heard a funnier question. "We're talking about dozens of Sky Kings here, pirate king," she said cheerfully. "As I told you before, Mokin Mountain is the only place where the Sky Kings nest, so naturally there will be most Sky Kings up here. And the closer we get to Runuura, the stronger the Kings will get."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Many hours and countless fight later, the group finally reached the end of the path. Ahead of them lay a cave that seemingly would lead them up to the top of the mountain, where they would find the stone dragon.

"I need to regain a little energy before I go up against a dragon," Atalaya sighed and sat down by the entrance of the cave. She leaned her back against the mountain wall and looked up into the sky to see the sun had already started setting, slowly descending towards the horizon. "Ruule, can you make something from the meat of these beasts?"

"Already working on it," the chef called. He was occupied with cutting up their latest encounter into smaller pieces so he could grill the meat over a small bonfire. "Once we leave this island, we might never see this kind of meat again, so I want to cook all the dishes I got recipes for before we leave."

He quieted down as he took his seat and flipped through the wad of papers Washi Sanctuary's chef had given him. The surroundings were quiet as Roa was keeping watch a bit off the trail while Kitsune, Lance and Sherry were off trying to find suitable firewood for the bonfire. Atalaya hummed in content as she closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air, today's battles playing like a movie in her mind.

They had fought almost nonstop since the first Sky King. The noise their battles caused always attracted a new beast, leading to a series of backbreaking fights and close calls. Atalaya was surprised to say Eluur hadn't appeared once. Either Ruule was subconsciously suppressing his other half, or then it was just close to impossible to actually make the chef feel threatened.

Sherry had proved to be quite the asset in this kind of environment. Thanks to her Devil's Fruit ability and the steep edges of Mokin Mountain, she had been able to knock several Sky Kings out of the sky by locking them in her ropes and making them fall all the way down the mountain. She was also able to move extremely fast, and her pets seemed to work almost like they were a part of her.

While Gorra usually just provided Sherry with extra speed, the blue raptor also seemed to have some sort of toxin in his fangs. Like a snake, he would latch onto the leg of a Sky King, and not moments later, the limb would become completely flaccid.

Vasp's flat build made him close to useless, but he had an ability to puff up his body into a ball, which was more than perfect to throw an enemy off balance. The color of his scales made him hard to detect, and when a beast would accidentally step on him, he'd blow himself up and the beast would fall.

So far, Luna's only usable ability seemed to be her razor sharp beak. She would dive like a missile towards the eyes of her targets and effectively blind them.

"At least we won't have to deal with Sky Kings anymore," Atalaya sighed, but barely had those words left her lips before Sherry's laughter reached her ears, sounding as sarcastically amused as before.

"Don't get your hopes up high about that, pirate king," she said and dumped a large pile of dry branches next to Ruule. "We've only disposed of around a fifth of all the Sky Kings on this mountain, for sure. There are many more that reside on the other sides of Mokin Mountain, and they all may appear in our fight against Runuura, for sure."

A sound of disbelief and frustration escape Atalaya's lips as she leaned back, accidentally smacking the back of her head against the stone wall behind her. "Well, can I assign you to take care of them in case they show up?" she groaned and nodded at Sherry while she rubbed the back of her head. "You don't need to kill them, just lock their wings and make them fall from the sky."

"For sure, I'll do that, pirate king."

"Captain." Lance and Kitsune had returned, both of them carrying firewood enough to keep a bonfire burning for half a week. "The Sky Kings on the other sides of the mountain are getting restless," the shipwright said. "But we have no way of knowing when they are going to attack."

As if on cue, Roa appeared on the roof of the cave, his spyglass in his hands. "They know better than to approach the top of this mountain," he said and leaped off the rocks, landing neatly next to Ruule, who was busy lighting the branches on fire. "They might be Sky Kings, but it's only natural they'd still be afraid of a dragon."

"Good," Atalaya said and smirked in satisfaction. "Then you should all use this time to rest as much as possible. We'll head out once we've finished eating."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The climb through the cave was dead silent as no one seemed to dare utter even a huff or a sigh just in case the dragon would be able to hear it. Even Sherry's companions kept quiet as they moved, stepping carefully so their claws wouldn't scratch against the rocks.

"We're here," Atalaya mouthed when she spotted the exit. The light was dim, as if the sun would still be up outside. Nothing could be heard apart from the distant sound of strong winds blowing, howling against the mouth of the cave. "Everybody ready?"

They all nodded, and with a determined growl, Atalaya straightened up and quickly navigated up to the exit and walked outside.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Cliffhanger alert? Thought so. Heehaw!_

_Next time it's finally the 100__th__ episode's time! And the talk show! I'll give you a small preview here;_

While the audience releases an 'aww' of sentiment, everybody on stage – apart from Lance – breaks down into hysterical laughter. Roa and Atalaya are both toppled over in their seats, cackling like hyenas, Kitsune's so far gone his laugher sounds more like sharp inhales, and Ruule has buried his face in his hands, his shoulders trembling with poorly suppressed chortling. Even Teruul struggles to get enough air as her abdomen starts stinging.

Lance's left eyebrow twitches as he clears his throat and straightens his back in attempt to regain some of his pride. "I'd like to remind everyone here that I was only eight years old, and—"

"Nothin' ya say now's gonna save yer face, fancy pants," Kitsune breathes out, waving his right hand to fan his face.

_Heh. This'll keep you waiting to know what was asked, and what the answer was, no? Heh. And yes, the entire talk show is written in present tense. To refresh it a little._

_Well! Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	100. Face to face with death!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred – Face to face with death! The great stone dragon, Emperor Runuura!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya had to raise a hand to shield her face as she stepped straight into a lively sandstorm. The cave had lead them to an arena-like opening, perfectly round and with the mountain walls rising a few yards above the edges to form a mound around the space. The sandstorm seemed to only be present in this area, seeing as this was the first time they'd noticed it.

"It has to be because of Runuura, for sure," Sherry said and twisted her head to the sides. "He might be able to create sandstorms like these."

"Speakin' of big beasty," Kitsune piped up. "Where is he? I ain't seein' a dragon anywhere."

"He's right." Atalaya slowly moved closer to the middle of the arena, her senses on full alert as she listened for even the tiniest of sounds that could be unnatural to the environment. "Are you sure he's here?" she asked of Sherry, who nodded.

"We would've noticed if he'd come down from the mountain, for sure," she said, alarm rising through her body at the absence of their expected target. "This isn't right..."

After standing still for a few seconds, Atalaya began moving towards the northern edge of the arena, blinking repeatedly as the sandstorm planted grain after grain of sand in her eyes. She climbed up to lean over the mountain edge, sighing in dissatisfaction when she couldn't spot any signs of a dragon.

"Maybe we should come back another time," she called over her shoulder, her voice barely reaching the others through the storm. "If Runuura's out flying, there's no purpose in waiting in this storm!"

Atalaya threw one last glance down the mountain before she turned around and steered her steps towards her crew and Sherry, but before she could even get halfway to the middle, Mokin Mountain was suddenly shook by a vicious tremor. The ground underneath Atalaya's feet quaked violently enough to make her drop to one knee, and she quickly braced her hands to the ground to increase her balance.

"What the hell was that?" she growled when the tremors finally stopped, leaving behind nothing but the howling of the storm. "All of you oka-" Atalaya straightened up only to see Kitsune, Roa, Lance and Ruule all stand in a row a few yards in front of her, all of them with their weapons raised at her. "What are you doing?" she asked, arching an eyebrow in suspicion. "That's kind of rude, you know."

"We're not aiming at _you_," Roa said slowly and raised his bow a few inches higher.

Kitsune nodded, the corners of his mouth twitching as if he was either trying to not let his smile grow too wide or let it vanish. "Ya might wanna turn 'round though, cap'n," he sang. "And try not ta startle 'em."

A cold shiver ran down Atalaya's spine when she realized whatever her crew was aiming at was located just behind her. A nervous smirk graced her lips and she slowly turned around, her eyes widening to the size of dinner-plates when she found herself standing face to face with a gigantic, dark brown winged lizard.

The eyes that glared back at her were orange just like hers, the slit pupils trembling slightly as they focused on her with murderous intent. Atalaya was barely the size of the dragon's face maw, and its outspread wings made it appear all the more impressive in size.

They stared at each other or almost fifteen silent seconds before Runuura slowly retreated his head, emitting a slight snort as he opened him mouth to reveal teeth approximately as long as Atalaya's legs. Somehow unable to move, Atalaya watched with her heartbeat thundering in her ears as what looked like a cloud of rubble and sand began forming in the back of the dragon's mouth, and she realized a little too late that Runuura was about to fire an attack.

Seconds before the dragon released the cloud, Atalaya finally snapped out of her daze as one of Roa's explosive arrows buried into the ground barely two yards to her left. It exploded half a moment later, and the impact threw Atalaya out of the way just as Runuura fired a current of razor sharp gravel.

The impact of the explosion hadn't been enough to hurt Atalaya, and she positioned herself so she landed on all four, quickly breaking the skid and rushing over to her crew. "Thanks, Roa," she breathed out as she reached them, but before she could say anything else, Runuura threw his head back and released a shriek loud enough to make Mokin Mountain quake again.

"He's a lot bigger than I thought," Atalaya grit out, clenching her fists as she tried to ignore the ringing in her ears when the roar died down. "Roa and..." She shot a quick sideways glance in Ruule's direction to see who was in charge of the body, and the ever so cheerful smile told her exactly who it was. "Roa and Ruule, try to keep it occupied," she said. "We only have to cut open a wound and pour the sedative in, so we should try to end it as quickly as possible."

"We'll set smokescreens in front of its eyes," Roa said and withdrew another explosive arrow from his quiver. "Ruule, try to aim at the arrowhead just before they reach the dragon's face, okay?"

"Si," the chef hummed and quickly reloaded Beauty before pushing his glasses up on his forehead.

"I'll need one of you to help me with something," Sherry piped up. "I can tie Runuura to the ground with my ability, for sure, but it would require a lot of stone boulders, and I can't lift them on my own."

Atalaya nodded and turned to Lance. "Would you help her?" she asked. "In physical strength, I think you take the price among us."

"I would be my honor, captain," the shipwright said and bowed down in salute. "Simply inform me of what you need, lady Sherry, and I will see to it right away."

"That leaves you and me to open up a wound on Runuura's neck," Atalaya said and nodded at Kitsune. "Think you're up for it?"

"Do ya really have ta ask?" he sighed and stuck Hebi Kotei's blade into the ground so he could lean against the hilt. "I ain't steppin' down from a challenge like this, sweetheart."

"We're not on the ship, are we, Kitsune," Atalaya snapped, the nickname making her grimace in dissatisfaction. "Okay, let's go! I think the dragon's about to attack!"

Runuura had ascended all the way onto the arena, and he took up over half the space with ease. His tail was heavily armed with spikes and thorns, but it still seemed light enough to be used as a deadly whip. His heavy claws were at least five feet long, and they left deep cuts in the stone ground every time he moved.

"Alright, let the battle begin!"

Atalaya released a snarl as she burst forward, taking her hybrid form as she practically flew across the arena and towards the dragon. She huffed in amusement when she heard Kitsune's exhilarated chuckle not far behind her, but that amusement quickly vanished when she saw Runuura bared his teeth as he prepared to impale the intruders. His head shot forward, but before he could reach Atalaya and Kitsune, the air in front of his eyes exploded, setting a wide screen of smoke between him and the two on the ground.

Atalaya released a sound of triumph, but her victory was short-lived when Runuura slammed his tail into the ground in front of her, the spikes missing her raised arms with only a few inches. The impact created deep cracks in the ground, forcing both her and Kitsune to back away. "That tail's a problem," Atalaya growled and sprinted to the side with intention to round the spiked limb, but she didn't get very far before Runuura, seemingly blindly, planted his left front foot right in front of her, effectively cutting off every route she could take to get close to his body.

"Can't I just cut big beasty's tail off?" Kitsune asked when he reached her side. "It would be easier ta do that, right?"

"No deal," Atalaya said and cautiously took a step back while twisting her head to the sides to try and spot an opening. We're here to put him to sleep, not kill him. We can't damage him further than the neck."

"Yeah, well, tell me when ya come up with a solution fer that."

Not seconds after the sarcastic words had left Kitsune's lips did five explosive arrows and countless red bullets connect with Runuura's chin. For a split second, everything seemed to freeze in time. Then, Atalaya's jaw dropped as she could almost hear the mechanical switch go off in the arrowheads, and she grabbed hold of Kitsune's sleeve and tugged him down to the ground the very second the projectile exploded.

Runuura threw his head back and released another deafening roar. The impact of the explosion had reached all the way to Kitsune and Atalaya, but no matter how large it had been, had barely done any damage to the dragon's face, but he had screwed his eyes shut as he flailed, an opaque liquid gushing past his sealed eyelids. Down on the ground, Atalaya coughed as she rose into a kneeling position, her back throbbing from the sheer impact the explosion had caused her body.

"He moved his front leg, captain!" Atalaya turned around to see Roa in the process of nocking another five arrows while Ruule was busy reloading both his guns. "Go for the opening while it's still there!" the archer shouted and raised his bow to take aim.

Atalaya's eyes widened when she spotted the clear opening, and she raised her right hand in a quick thank you gesture before sprinting forward. "You still with me, Kitsune?" she asked loudly, not daring to take her eyes off Runuura.

A loud snort followed her words and suddenly Kitsune dashed past her, a smug grin on his lips as he took the lead. "Ya tryn' ta insult me with that question, cap'n?" he retorted, mock offense in his voice. "'S gonna take more than big beasty or blondie's arrows ta knock me down, ya know."

Despite the situation's gravity, Atalaya released a bark of laughter and sped up, the thought of losing a race not even an option in her mind. "Good," she said when she caught up to the swordsman. "First one to reach Runuura's neck gets the first shot at cutting open his scales!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Here we are, folks! The 100__th__ episode! Umm, I'm not gonna say anything more here, just move onto the next episode right away! And... try not to die laughing._

_Cheers!_


	101. Race for One Piece Special Talk Show!

**Race for One Piece**

Quick AN; _Grab some popcorn, this is a long one! Enjoy!_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and one – Race for One Piece Special Talk Show! 100th episode celebration!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Spotlights flare up and the audience starts cheering when the stage is bathed in light. Two couches are placed around a coffee table in the exact middle, and beside these, a lone but comfortable-looking chair. The chair is occupied by a young woman with brown hair, frameless glasses and a black suit.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for joining me here today," the woman says and flashes a big grin. "As you all probably guessed, I'm Teruul, the mastermind behind the reason why we've all gathered here; Race for One Piece!" She pauses to let the crowd release a deafening cheer.

"Okay, let's get straight to business, shall we? Today's guests are the five members of the crew that's rapidly been gaining fame, not only in the minds of marines and pirates alike, but also by _you_, sitting in front of the screen! We'll be asking them several questions, both professional and personal, entertaining ones and embarrassing ones. But before we welcome our guests to the stage, _I_ will answer all the questions that were addressed to _me_. You know, so I won't steal any attention from our guests once they arrive."

Teruul clears her throat and picks up a small card. "Okay, first question," she says.

"_Have you (the author) ever made any major changes to the story? You mentioned a few times that a specific scene was supposed to go one way, but ended up completely different. Did you experience that with other stuff than just the scenes?"_

"Yes," Teruul says and nods to herself. "I definitely experience this phenomena with stuff other than just scenes. Mostly it's about names and characters. For example, Ruule was originally supposed to be named Luka, but then I found I had too many characters whose names start with the letter "L", so I changed it. And I think Ruule's much better, since I could just flip it around and create the name Eluur."

She chuckles along with the crowd and moves on to pick another card. "Okay, next question."

"_I know I've been tempted to write fanfictions on a few pairings of your characters I'm totally shipping. What about you? Surely even you must be tempted to pair up some of your own characters! Tell me which ones you prefer!"_

"Uhh..." Teruul scratches the back of her head and furrows her brow. "I'm not entirely sure how I should answer this question. I mean, as a romance-writer, these things come naturally. Of course I've paired up my characters. But I ignore it as best I can. I don't think about who would be be great with whom, since it could affect my writing. And I don't think I should reveal who I put together here and now."

Everybody in the audience emits a disappointed sound, so Teruul raises her hands as if in defeat. "Sorry, that's my final decision!" she says and grins apologetically. "But let's move on from that now, okay? Okay. Here's the next one."

"_What are your hopes for Race? Like, what would you like to happen, popularity-wise?"_

"Wow, I've got so many answers to that question," Teruul says and smiles. "I'll say that it's my greatest dream to have Race made into a manga or anime. Which is extremely farfetched, but that's my dream. One step below that is to have Oda-sensei himself read Race. Just read it. That would make me so happy." She releases a short laugh when a sound of sentiment rises from the audience. "Okay, before I get too emotional here, let's move on to the next question!" she says and reaches for a new card.

"_Teruul, when's your birthday?"_

"July 28th. Don't forget to send presents." Teruul winks at the crowd and picks a new card.

"_Do you base your characters on people you know?"_

Teruul sucks on her bottom lip for a few seconds before answering. "Yes and no," she says. "Mostly no. I only have one or two characters that I, consciously, have based on people I know. And then I mean I have taken just one feature, like their looks, way of speaking or personality. Never all three. I'll reveal one of them here; Roa. Now, I don't know anyone who looks like him, with his long hair or grumpy looks, but I'm sure you've all noticed he can be a little protective of Atalaya? I took that small feature from my own brother; he acts all tough, but if someone bullied me, he'd beat their faces in. Though, Roa's more eager to not let anything happen to Atalaya if he's presence. He's not the revenge type, I think. Of course, even I can never know for sure..." She clears her throat and claps her hands together. "But the protectiveness. Yeah. Let's move on before I drag this out too long, huh? Next question!"

"_How do you develop your arcs?"_

"Okay, let's split this up into the few stages I follow," Teruul says. "I find mind-maps extremely helpful. First, I think about the most important person the Saber Pirates are gonna meet on the island and write their name down. Then, I come up with everybody who's connected to this person. After that, what the island looks like; which buildings are important, who are the Saber Pirates gonna visit and why. And, believe it or not, the last thing I develop is the main event on the island. I construct the surroundings before the plot. Then I draw a map and draw lines from the Saber Pirates to everybody else, both people and places, write their relationship on the lines and voilà! We have an arc! If I'm really inspired, I can come up with all happenings on an island in a matter of hours, but if it's a bigger arc, I can need several days. I also find it very helpful to have someone with me when I start brainstorming. I mean, this other person just sit next to me and listen. They don't give me any ideas, but their presence alone is enough to increase my capacity for inspiration."

Teruul chuckles and shakes her head. "Okay, I need to cut down on my rambling, or we'll never get to our guests," she says and picks a new card. "Moving on!"

"_Are all characters you use created solely for Race?"_

"Yes," Teruul says. "I don't like re-using characters, so every time a character appears in Race, he or she is brand new." She flips through the remaining of the cards and a wide smile appears on her face. "Well, that was it for me, ladies and gentlemen," she says, chuckling as the crowd breaks out into loud cheers and applauses. "Thank you, thank you. Now, let's move onto the main event! Our guests are ready to be introduced, so please join me in welcoming them to the stage! First up from the Saber Pirates we have Ruule!"

Ruule steps out onto the stage, dressed in a black suit and a scarf, a dark hat on his head. He raises his hands in salute to the wildly cheering audience, a smile on his lips as he walks over the stage to take a seat in one of the sofas next to Teruul.

Teruul holds up her hands to silence the audience, and she clears her throat before saying, "Ruule, as you all know, is the temporary chef of the Saber Pirates, having joined after their adventures in the Extermination Arc. He fights using two guns, with a nearly incomparable aim!"

Ruule waves his hands around, his eyebrows knitting together in embarrassment. "Your flattery makes me nervous," he says and chuckles apologetically.

"Well, that's not my intention at all, so let's move onto the next man in line," Teruul says and turns back to the audience. "The gentleman of all gentlemen, let's welcome Lance out here!"

Lance gracefully strides out onto the platform, dressed in a dark suit with golden chains and a black version of his trademark hat, which he sweeps off his head and places against his chest as he bows down low in front of the audience, who breaks out into whooping and wild applauses. With a swift move, he presses his hat down over his head and walks over to the couch, taking his seat next to Ruule.

"Lance here is the proud shipwright and mechanic of the Saber Pirates," Teruul tells the audience. "He joined them after they helped him rescue his childhood friend, Mira, from the Rocket Pirates, and with his extraordinary skills, he built Atlas, their trusted ship! Lance fights using his trench knives, which he himself has designed!"

"My lady, your words are much too kind," Lance says. He leans forward, grabs hold of Teruul's right hand and softly brushes his lips over her knuckles. "Such beauty ought not praise anyone but herself."

Teruul quickly goes red as a tomato and yanks her hand back while audience practically shrieks in joy. "O-okay, umm, where was I?" Teruul says and scoot as far away from Lance as possible in her seat. "Right, yes! Next up we have the man who always keeps the others' backs safe, no matter if out on the sea or in battle! Shuusun Roa, join us out here!"

Roa walks out onto the stage, a slightly irritated expression on his face as he tugs on the tie around his neck, trying to loosen it up a little. His braid has been redone into a much neater version, and he looks slightly uncomfortable in his suit. He offers the extremely enthusiastically cheering audience a curt nod of his head and moves to the unoccupied sofa, taking a seat as far away from Lance as possible.

"Roa works as both the navigator and archer for the Saber Pirates," Teruul says. "He joined them after they helped him retrieve his bow, a priceless heirloom that roots centuries back in his family. He's well-known for his foul temper, and he fights using his trusted bow and arrows designed by Lance!"

Roa halts his fidgeting to send a smoldering glare at Teruul. "Foul temper?" he repeats.

"Eh..." Teruul flips through her papers, a cold shiver running down her spine. "That's what my script says..."

"Is it impossible for a charlatan such as yourself to keep from making a scene wherever you set your feet?" Lance says and sighs dramatically, shaking his head at the archer's ignorance.

Roa instantly flares up, and he leans forward in his seat to glare at the shipwright. "Learn to mind your own business, pretty boy," he growls. "Or I'll come over there and teach you how to do it!"

"Before a fight breaks out this early in the show, let's invite the next man out onto stage!" Teruul says loudly to interrupt the two. "Everybody, give a warm welcome to Kitsune!"

Kitsune casually strolls out into the stage, seemingly not even noticing when the crowd explodes into cheering and shrieking loud enough to lift the roof. He's dressed in a black suit with white vertical stripes and a black hat, and Hebi Kotei's secured in a loose grip in his right hand. He completely ignores the ecstatic crowd and moves over to the couch where Roa's sitting and spreads out over the remaining space, propping his feet up on the small table in the middle of the sofas.

Teruul has to stand up and wave at the crowd to get them to quiet down. "Crimson Fox Kitsune's the first mate of the Saber Pirates, having joined after losing a bet to the captain," she says. "He's..." She nervously averts her eyes from the script in her hands to send a quick glance at the swordsman.

He unsheathes Hebi Kotei a few inches just to let it slide back with a loud _klick_. "'S arite, I ain't gonna kill ya fer readin' my introduction out loud," he says and offers Teruul a less than convincing smirk.

"Okay..." Teruul mumbles and swallows thickly. "He's sarcastic, rude, self-centered, a real bloodthirsty b-beast who would probably attack anything and anyone if not restrained by the captain of the Saber Pirates." Teruul's panic starts to rise as Kitsune breaks out into an eerie laughter. "H-he fights using his katana, Hebi Kotei, which is part of the O Wazamono. His swordsmanship is one of a kind, with deadly precision and skill!" She jumps up in shock when the audience once again explodes into deafening cheers and applause.

"Ya ain't got nothin' nice ta say 'bout my personality?" Kitsune asks, mock hurt in his voice. "That makes me a li'l sad, ya know."

"Yeah, we can see you're heartbroken, fox face," Roa scoffs.

"Yeah?" Kitsune slowly unsheathes Hebi Kotei and rests the sharp blade against Roa's shoulder. "I see yer havin' some problems with yer tie, blondie," he says darkly. "Want me ta help ya loosen it up a li'l?"

Teruul loudly clears her throat and raises her hands. "No threatening in the studio, Kitsune!" she says, instantly shrinking a little when Kitsune turns to face her. "I'm sorry, but those are the rules!"

"Arite, arite, I hear ya," Kitsune says and sighs as he slides Hebi Kotei back into its sheath.

"Good. Thank you." Teruul inhales deeply a few times before turning back to the crowd. "Now, it's time for the last member of the crew to appear on stage!" she says, chuckling as the crowd starts humming with anticipation. "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Atalaya!"

Atalaya walks out onto the stage with her arms raised over her head as if to embrace the hollering cheers and loud sound of clapping. Contrary to everybody else, she's wearing a white suit with black stripes, but the hat on her head is black like the others'. A toothy grin is stretching her lips, and she keeps waving as she walks over to the couches and takes the last seat next to Lance.

"Sabertooth Atalaya is the captain of the Saber Pirates. She set out from her home in North Blue with determination and the goal to become the king of pirates, and so far, the trail in front of her shines more brightly than ever! Atalaya has the powers of the Neko Neko no mi, model Sabertooth Tiger, and she fights using claws and teeth, as well as her skills in close combat she learned at the dojo in her hometown!"

"It's great to be here," Atalaya says, her grin widening as she twists her head to look around. "I've never even watched a talk show before."

"Really, now?" Teruul asks and chuckles, shuffling the cards in her hands. "I'll start with asking questions directed to all of you. Opinions and basic knowledge. After that, we'll look into more personal information, such as pet peeves and relatives, and once all of your questions are answered, we'll welcome our special guest out onto the stage. Ready?" When all of them nod, Teruul picks up a random card from the pile.

"_If each crew member could have a pet, what would it be and why?"_

"Who goes first?" Atalaya asks and looks around at her crew.

"Let's start from Roa and go clock-wise," Teruul says and motions for the archer to begin.

"Okay," Roa says and scratches the back of his head, a crease on his forehead as he searches his mind for an answer. "I think I'd like an eagle or a hawk. A companion who could help me with hunting and keeping watch."

"A snake," Kitsune says calmly. "A snake that could kill ya with one bite. 'S deadly as possible."

"Why am I not surprised," Atalaya mutters and shakes her head. "I want a dog. Which is impossible since I'm half cat. Dogs tend to hate me. But I'd want a really big dog, like a Husky or a cross between a wolf and another breed. Someone who could keep up with me, both energy- and strength-wise."

"I would most certainly choose a cat," Lance says. "A pure breed feline with grace, refined and proper. An independent pet with a nick for mischief."

Ruule takes some time before answering, humming repeatedly as he ponders. "I'd love to have a parrot," he finally says, the smile on his lips childlike. "A parrot who can repeat human speech."

"Because _that_ would not get annoying," Roa snorts.

"Come on, he can choose whatever he wants," Atalaya says and motions for Teruul to move on.

"So, an eagle, a snake, a dog, a cat and a parrot," Teruul counts and chuckles. "Good choices, good choices. Okay, next question!"

"_Who's up first in the morning?"_

Roa stays silent and looks over at Atalaya, who's the first one to raise her voice. "Well, leaving aside the one who's been keeping watch all night, I'd say it's Roa," she says.

"I don't think so," Roa says and nods in Ruule's direction. "His bunk's always empty when I wake up."

"I wake up around the same time as Atalaya and Lance," the chef says.

They all fall silent and turn their attention to Kitsune. "When do _you_ wake up?" Roa asks, slight concern in his voice.

Kitsune releases a soft chuckle. "I wonder..." he says somewhat menacingly, his words leaving behind an awkward silence.

"... Suddenly, I get this creepy image of you being awake while the rest of us sleep, doing something weird on the ship," Atalaya says slowly.

The smile on Kitsune's lips grows wider. "I wouldn't do anythin' like that," he says, sounding all but convincing.

"A-alright, let's get past the moment and move onto the next question," Teruul says and quickly picks a new card. "Ah, here's a question on the same subject!"

"_Do any of the Saber Pirates snore?"_

"Pretty boy snores," Roa says before anyone else has a chance to even start thinking about an answer.

Lance instantly flares up, straightening his back to look more dignified. "How _dare_ you insinuate something as such when _you_ make loud enough noises to impress a chainsaw whilst sleeping, you obnoxious charlatan?" he asks loudly, aiming a murderous glare at the archer.

"You _do_ snore, Lance," Atalaya pipes up.

"He does, doesn't he?" Ruule says and looks past Lance and at Atalaya.

A somewhat embarrassed expression settles onto the shipwright's face. "... I do?" he asks.

"Aye, ya do," Kitsune jingles. "Blondie's louder, though."

"No, I'm not!" Roa says and slaps Kitsune's shoulder. "And what about you, Ruule? You _talk_ in your sleep!"

Ruule looks around at the rest with genuine surprise. "I do?" he asks. "I had no idea. What do I say?"

"I don't think it's _you_ as much as Elu-"

Before he has a chance to continue, Atalaya leans forward and slams both hands onto the table. "I'm sure it's all embarrassing stuff, so let's move onto the next question before something gets _revealed_, huh?" she asks, sending Roa a smoldering glare.

"Right you are," Teruul says and rummages through the question cards. "Ah, got one!"

"_Who's the laziest of the Saber Pirates?"_

"Kitsune," Atalaya says immediately.

"Definitely fox face," Roa says and nods.

"Agreed," Lance agrees.

"Really?" Ruule wonders, tilting his head to the side. "I thought you'd pick me..."

"Yer a really mean bunch, ya know?" Kitsune says and shakes his head at his fellow crew members' words.

Atalaya snorts loudly. "Do you think we're wrong?"

"I never said I think yer wrong," Kitsune jingles. "I just said yer mean, 's all."

"Alright, so no argument at that point," Teruul says and smirks at Kitsune. "You should really step it up, you know."

The swordsman slowly turns his attention to Teruul and places a hand on Hebi Kotei's hilt. "Ya really think so?" he asks, a dangerous undertone in his voice. "Ya absolutely sure?"

"A-ah, let's just move on," Teruul says, a small groan escaping her lips as she reads the next question card. "Okay, I should ask this, since we're on the subject."

"_Does Kitsune do _any_ work at all?"_

Atalaya sighs and shakes her head. "Nope," she says. "At least not voluntarily. And not if I ask him. If I _ask_ him if he could do something, he says no. So I have to order him to. And when I do that, he groans and whines as if he was the one who did most around the ship."

A loud chortle bubbles past Kitsune's lips and he raises his hands as if to say 'guilty as charged', but he remains silent, so Teruul grabs a new card.

"_When are the Saber Pirates' birthdays and how old are they?"_

"Eight of June," Roa says. "I'm 21 years old."

"I ain't sharin' my age," Kitsune jingles and releases a loud chortle when the crowd groans in disappointment. "But I can tell ya I was born on the 31st 'a December."

"If you can share your birthday, why not your age as well?" Atalaya snorts, shaking her head when Kitsune only smirks in return. "Fine. I'm 17 years old, born two days before Roa, on the sixth of June."

"I am 22 years old, born on the 13th of September," Lance says.

"20 years old," Ruule chirps. "24th of August."

"Great," Teruul says and reaches for a new question card. "Okay, next one."

"_What are all the crew members' pet peeves?"_

Roa groans and scratches the back of his head. "I'm not sure what counts as a pet peeve," he says and clicks his tongue. "But if it's about things I hate and really don't wanna get close to, I'd say dragonflies. They freak me out."

"Is that right," Lance says, the smallest of smirks on his lips. "So the obnoxious charlatan is terrified of an insect."

"I didn't say I was _terrified_!" Roa says loudly, his outburst only serving to increase the shipwright's smugness. "Alright, pretty boy, let's hear _your_ pet peeve! What, tears and rips on your clothes?"

"Highly amusing," Lance says, dryness creeping in his voice. "I'd have to say I truly disliked Lullaby, one of the Smoke Sheep on Umibe Island. Now, I do _not_ mean I dislike sheep in general. No, Lullaby is a special case since she had the most peculiar eyes. I'm sure you're all aware of what a sheep's eyes look like; the pupils are horizontal. Now, while Lullaby's left eye was perfectly normal, her right eye was vertical. I honestly cannot say why, but the combination always made me shiver."

Atalaya presses her lips into a thin line to suppress the smile that wants to break out on her face. "Right," she says and chuckles. "_My_ pet peeve, I suppose, would be small dogs. I know I said I'd want a dog as a pet, but that would be a _big_ dog. Small dogs with their petty barking really gets on my nerves."

"I don't think I have one," Ruule says, shrugging. "I don't think I find anything irritating enough to call it a pet peeve. Except, of course, when people let food go bad. _That_ I don't like."

"Shocking," Roa says sarcastically and turns to face Kitsune. "What about you? Should we just say _everything_ irritates you and spare you the task of having to talk?"

The swordsman tips his head back and releases a loud laugh. "Yer so entertainin', blondie," he chuckles. "How 'bout I name ya as my pet peeve. 'S that enough fer ya?"

"Whatever pleases you, fox face."

Teruul looks somewhat distraught as she quickly tries to find a new q-card. "O-okay," she says and clears her throat.

"_Is everybody born in North/West Blue?"_

"No, I don't think so," Atalaya says and looks around. "Lance was born on Grand Line, but moved to West Blue with his mother, right?" She waits for the shipwright to nod before pointing at Ruule. "And Ruule's from South Blue," she says. "Roa's the only one from West Blue, I'm from North Blue, and Kitsune..." She pauses to glance at the swordsman. "Well, he's never disagreed with me when I say he's from North Blue, so I assume that's where he's from."

Kitsune simply nods, so Teruul picks up the next question.

"_Is there a liquor cabinet aboard Atlas?"_

"Yes," Lance says. "In the kitchen."

"Right." Teruul shuffles for another question. "Oh, here's one on the same subject."

"_Who uses the liquor cabinet the most?"_

"I think it's me," Ruule says cheerfully. "I use sake and wine for cooking. And I've never seen anyone else take anything from there, so..."

When he doesn't continue and no one else disagrees, Teruul nods and picks another card.

"_Who's got the dirtiest mind?"_

All heads instantly turn to face Kitsune, who breaks out into another wave of bubbling laugher. "Yer assumin' way too much here," he says breathlessly, his arms tied around his aching stomach. "My mind ain't that dirty, ya know. Unless ya count all the fantasies 'bout torturin' and killin' people as dirty."

"Then it's probably..." Atalaya stares at Ruule, who's too busy looking at Kitsune to notice. "Eh, how should I say this..." She clears her throat and glances at Teruul. "No one here has that much of a dirty mind," she says slowly. "Which means the one with the dirtiest mind is not _present _right now. It comes and goes, you know?"

Her less than cryptic words makes Kitsune's laughter escalate, the cackling slowly prickling Roa's nerves, but as much as he'd like to snap at the swordsman, he knows it'd only serve to make him laugh harder. "Next question, okay?" he asks instead.

"Oh, right," Teruul says quickly. "Okay, here goes."

"_Who spends most time in the bathroom in the mornings?"_

"Everybody's probably thinking about Lance, right?" Atalaya asks, grinning as the audience hums in agreement. "Yeah, that'd be my guess too."

"Pardon me," the shipwright says and straightens his back. "While it is true I care about my appearance, I have to say it depends on the day. Whenever the charlatan over there decides to wash his hair, it takes him an eternity to dry it, and for some reason, he cannot do it outside the washroom. So he can spend well over an hour in there."

Roa parts his lips to argue, but even he knows what Lance says is true, so he changes his mind and simply shrugs. When no one else says anything, Teruul grabs the next question card.

"_Who has the sweetest tooth?"_

"I think I do," Atalaya says. "Remember back when we left Zaimoku City to sail to Grand Line? Erika gave me a large sack of those blue apples, which were extremely sweet, and I ate them all on my own. So I'd say it's me."

The rest nods in agreement, so Teruul moves on.

"_In what room do they spend the most time?"_

"Umm, if you ask where we spend the most time all of us together, it's definitely the bunks," Atalaya says. "Or the kitchen. We're usually out on deck all together."

"What about individually?"

"For me, of course, 'tis the workshop," Lance says.

"The kitchen for me," Ruule pipes up.

"For the rest of us, I think it's the deck," Roa says and shrugs. "I mean, I have my room next to the workshop, but since I'm usually steering Atlas, I don't spend that much time in it."

"And Kitsune and I just usually lounge around the wheel," Atalaya says.

"Alright then," Teruul smiles and pulls out a new wad of question cards. "Those were all the questions that address all of you. Now we'll continue to the individual questions. I'll ask one question of each of you in order. Ready?" She waits for them all to nod before drawing the first one.

"_What's Lance's favorite flower?"_

"Oh." The shipwright is silent for a bit before nodding to himself. "A mix between roses or lilies," he says. "I cannot choose between them, so I'd have to say both."

"Ah, I like lilies too," Teruul says and smirks. "Okay, next one."

"_Atalaya, who'd be the worst person to know you're a girl?"_

A crease appears on her Atalaya's forehead as she glares up at Teruul. "Did you just reveal one of my biggest secrets for everybody in the world to hear?" she asks, a dangerous undertone in her voice.

"No no no, I didn't!" Teruul exclaims and waves her hands. "No, everybody who's here watching already knows. And those who don't know, they didn't hear it. Promise!"

"Okay," Atalaya says and leans back into her seat. "I'd have to say it would be Commander Lash. I mean, I would've absolutely _hated_ it if someone like Van Rosheer would've known, but Lash is a marine. And if he'd find out and tell his superiors, then they would make sure the entire _world_ would know. And I say Lash in particular because he and his marines are the only ones we've encountered. So far."

"That makes sense," Teruul says and nods. "Okay, let's move on."

"_Roa, if you could meet any pirate in the world, who would it be?"_

"Uh, I don't know," Roa says and shrugs. "I suppose I would've liked to see Whitebeard. Or maybe Shanks. Though meeting Straw Hat Luffy would be pretty interesting, too."

"Not the Pirate King himself?" Teruul wonders.

Roa quirks an eyebrow at the question and shakes his head. "Since he died before I was born, I'm not really interested in meeting him," he says. "Besides, once Atalaya finds One Piece, I'll get to see the Pirate King every day." He jumps up in shock when the audience releases a wild cheer. "What?" he demands, confused. "What'd I say?"

"Kiss-ass," Kitsune mumbles smugly, but the audience drowns his voice.

"Very good answer, Roa," Atalaya says and grins widely at the archer. "_Very_ good."

"I agree," Teruul chuckles and waves at the audience to silence them. "Next question, yeah?"

"_What's Ruule's favorite food?"_

"Oh, that's a tough one," the chef says and nods vigorously. "It's definitely some type of sea food. Definitely. Okay, I'll just put together a dish that I'd love to eat." He's silent for a few seconds before clapping his hands together, a wide smile on his lips. "Okay, I'll say my favorite dish is roasted sea bream with braised fennel and aubergine purée. Sea bream is my favorite fish, I think fennels look funny, and I've always loved aubergine."

The crowd breaks out into applause and whooping, and Teruul can't help but join them. "That just got my mouth watering," she says when the cheers die down. "Seriously, that sounds delicious." She grins at Ruule's satisfied expression and picks a new card.

"_Lance, would you ever wear comfy clothes?"_

A slightly confused expression sets on the shipwright's face. "Comfy clothes?" he repeats.

"Yeah, you know, something comfortable."

"I am familiar with the term of comfortable clothes," Lance stated somewhat dryly. "However, have I ever claimed the clothes I wear are uncomfortable?"

Teruul sighs and shakes her head. "Well, no," she says, struggling to find the right words to use. "But would you ever wear lounge pants or a hoodie?" She chortles when an expression of sheer horror flashes over Lance's face at the mere thought. "I guess that's the answer," she says smugly. "No, he wouldn't wear a hoodie. Okay, next question!"

"_What would Kitsune like to get for his birthday?"_

"How 'bout that snake I talked 'bout?" the swordsman jingles. "Makes a cool gift, yeah?"

"Nothing else?" Roa snorts and rolls his eyes in irritation. "How about the ability to be anything else but arrogant? Or a heart, since you clearly don't have one right now."

"Ya know, yer position as my pet peeve's growin' more and more secure, blondie."

"Great."

Atalaya sends Teruul a glance of hopelessness, so she quickly selects a new q-card. "Moving on," she says.

"_What would Atalaya wear to the beach?"_

A somewhat uncomfortable silence settles over the Saber Pirates, and Atalaya creases her eyebrows as she searches her mind for the answer. "Probably what boys usually wear," she finally says with a shrug. "You know, swimming trunks."

"Uh..." Teruul shoots a quick glance at the audience before clearing her throat. "And... what about your upper body?"

"Oh. _Oh_!" Atalaya grins broadly as she realizes the question's intent. "Either a simple t-shirt," she says. "Or then nothing at all."

"You most certainly would _not_!" Lance exclaims loudly, shock and disbelief in his voice, and a deeply aggravated expression crawls over his face as Kitsune starts laughing hysterically for probably the seventh time. "With all due respect, captain, I'd _never_ allow you to be seen in such an obscene state!"

"Would you _relax_?" Atalaya says loudly, fighting the urge to join Kitsune's laughter. "I meant, I'd be in my hybrid form. That way, you can't see I'm a... well, you know! What'd you think, that I'd go around showing everybody what I've been trying to hide since I was seven?"

Ruule releases a bright chuckle at Lance's mortified expression, and even Roa can't help but grin broadly. "You're way too prude, pretty boy," he says spitefully, his mirth only growing when the shipwright shakes his head in disbelief at his captain's logic.

"Absolutely out of the question," he mutters to himself. "Unbelievable."

"Okay, let's move on," Teruul says, even she unable to stop smirking.

"_Roa, what would you do if someone cut off your braid?"_

"Kill him," the archer answers instantly, not the slightest trace of doubt in his calm voice. "And before that, torture him. Scalp him with an arrowhead or burn every strand of hair off his head. While he's conscious. Then kill him."

A deafening silence settles into the studio, during which Atalaya exchanges an almost amused glanced with Kitsune, and Lance quirks an eyebrow in surprise and disdain. "You could also burn the hair on the rest of his body," Ruule chirps, immune to the chilling effect of Roa's words. "I think that'd be more effective."

"How can you say that with a straight face?" Atalaya sighs and shakes her head, a tired smirk on her lips as she motions for Teruul to continue.

"Okay, here's a similar one."

"_What would Roa do if someone colored his hair pink?"_

"Same answer as before," Roa says snappishly. "Torture them. And kill them." He quirks an eyebrow at Teruul to get her to move on.

"Eh..." She shuffles through the cards and suppresses a chuckle before reading the question out loud.

"_Kitsune, how does it feel to be the favorite Saber Pirate among the readers?"_

"What?!" Roa exclaims and sits up straight, flinching when the crowd breaks out into violent applause, whooping cheers and chants of Kitsune's name. "_Fox face_'s the favorite?!" A deep scowl settles into the archer's brow as the swordsman spreads out on the couch next to him, a wide and way too satisfied smirk on his lips.

"People have weird tastes," Atalaya huffs and crosses her arms over her chest, the ghost of a pout on her face. "Though I kinda figured it'd be him."

Lance nods, an understanding expression on his face. "Kitsune _is_ the first mate," he says absentmindedly. "He has followed the captain since she first set out on her journey, correct?"

"I'm not surprised at all," Ruule says and looks around at the rest with a slight frown of confusion. "I mean, he's funny, strong, he's got the exotic white hair, he's-"

"Annoying, lazy, irritating, spiteful, stubborn, rude, downright evil?" Roa fills in, growling in frustration when the audience once again shrieks in joy. "What's wrong with you people?!"

"Now, now, Roa," Teruul says, trying her best to hold back her laughter at the sight of the archer's reaction. "Let's hear Kitsune's answer and move on, okay?"

The swordsman waits until Roa leans back into the couch, and he takes his time to clear his throat before answering. He parts his lips and inhales, but he doesn't say anything. A few seconds pass before he closes his lips again and turns his attention to the audience, who's suddenly completely silent.

Another few moments pass before Kitsune's lips curl into an almost angelic smile, and he raises a hand in a lazy wave to the audience. "Thanks fer choosin' me," he says, and Atalaya can't help but groan and roll her eyes in irritation at the deep and husky, but clearly fake voice the swordsman uses. "It feels really sweet, an' I appreciate all of ya."

The audience practically explodes, the reaction throwing Kitsune into another wave of hysterical cackling. This time, not even Teruul can resist at the sight of the rest of the crew's expressions of shock-mixed frustration – apart from Ruule and his ever so cheerful smile – and she has to press a hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter.

"He's gonna be a pain to live with after this," Atalaya sighs when the ear-shattering cheer finally dies down. "Next question, _please_."

Teruul dabs her eyes clear of tears and swallows repeatedly in attempt to recover from her momentary weakness. "O-okay," she says breathlessly and flips through the cards.

"_Ruule, what would you cook for Aokiji, Kizaru and Akainu, the three marine admirals?"_

"Hmm..." The chef mumbles to himself for a few seconds before nodding. "I think many would cook something related to their abilities," he says and smiles. "But I think I'd do the complete opposite. Something hot and spicy for Aokiji, like a soup or a risotto, something cold for Akainu, a carpaccio or a tartar beef, and for Kizaru..." He falls silent, pursing his lips in deep thought. "I'm not sure," he says and smiles apologetically. "I can't think of anything that would be the opposite to his ability. But if I had to guess, I'd say he's likes sweet things, so perhaps a creme caramel with homemade ice cream and berries. I don't know."

"Screw the marines, come cook for me instead," Teruul says, dead serious. "I'd be the happiest woman on earth if you'd be my personal chef."

"Hold up one second!" Atalaya says loudly before Ruule has the chance to reply. "Don't start recruiting _our_ chef! And no, I won't let you borrow him either!"

Teruul frowns at her, but quickly recovers with a soothing smile. "It was a joke, a joke," she says, offering the chef a wink. "Okay, let's move on."

"_Lance, if you were to design an outfit for Roa, what would it look like?"_

Both Roa and the shipwright freeze as if suddenly caught in an ice-block. Slowly, Lance's gaze travels from the archer to Teruul, and he clears his throat before answering. "As you all ought to know, 'tis Mira who designed all of my clothes," he says slowly. "I hardly doubt I am capable of creating such clothes."

"They don't have to be fancy," Teruul presses, the tiniest of smirks on her lips at Roa's expression. "Just any clothes for him, what would they look like."

Again, Lance took his time before answering. "Well, if it was completely up to me," he says, a smile slowly stretching his lips. "I would, of course, create something as humiliating as possible. To thank him for all the times _he_ has humiliated _me_."

Atalaya has to press her lips together to not break out laughing at Roa's rapidly rising fury. His hands are clenched into fists in his lap so hard his knuckles have turned white, his teeth are grinding against each other, his jaws clenching tightly together, and his left eyebrow twitches repeatedly. He looks like a bomb ticking on its final seconds.

"Perhaps the outfit of a ballerina," Lance says and quirks his eyebrows in mock wonder. "With a pink tutu and tights. Or he might enjoy wearing a young schoolgirl's skirt. Perhaps a nurse's-"

"If you don't shut the _f**k_ up, pretty boy, I'll kill you right here and now," Roa finally snarls, Atalaya and Kitsune's laughter working like a catalyst to his rage. Even Ruule's quiet chuckling makes him see red. "I don't care what this show's rated, I'll gut you and burn your innards right here on stage!"

Lance's eyebrows knits up in mock surprise and concern. "My, charlatan," he says, sounding innocent and pompous at the same time. "I was simply answering the question wholeheartedly. Had I known it would affect you like this, I would've _never_-"

"I swear, one more word from you and I'll make sure you'll never speak again!"

Lance smirks in satisfaction and parts his lips to retort, but before he has the chance, Teruul lunges forward from her chair and places both of her hands over the shipwright's mouth. "Sorry," she says and squirms as Lance looks up at her with eyebrows raised in mild curiosity and expectation. "But I'd really appreciate it if you _didn_'_t_ say that one more word."

Atalaya places a hand on Lance's shoulder to show her agreement, so the shipwright sighs dramatically behind Teruul's hands and nods. "Thank you," she says and sighs in relief as she sits back down. "And again, sorry."

"Fret not, milady," Lance says and smiles. "If we were to pass the blame, it would most certainly not be handed to you, but to one far less refined..."

Instantly, Roa's on his feet, cracking his knuckles and practically breathing fire. "You're asking for it, pretty boy!" he shouts and takes a step over Kitsune's legs.

"You really can't help yourself, Lance," Atalaya sighs and stands up to place her hands on Roa's shoulders and push him back. "Okay, calm down," she says loudly, huffing when the archer doesn't even seem to hear him. "Okay, Teruul, fire an embarrassing question about Lance. Maybe that'll calm him down!"

"What-"

While it's Lance's turn to look distraught, Roa instantly takes a step back. "Fine," he says and glares at Teruul as he lets himself fall back into his seat. "Ask away."

"O-okay!" Teruul quickly stands up and claps her hands together. "Gentlemen, if you'd bring out the Den-Den Mushi Television!" she says loudly, and two burly men instantly appear on stage, dragging with them a large screen and a snail. "We'll focus on Lance now for a few questions," Teruul informs the audience while the two men set up the Den-Den Mushi. "And to fully do that, we're gonna call up a special guest!"

"All ready, ma'am," one of the men says and they both hurry off the stage again.

"Okay, let's see..." Teruul steps up to the Den-Den Mushi and carefully knocks on its shell. "Wake up," she says, grinning when the snail slowly sticks out its head. "Now, as we practiced, set up the live feed with her, okay? I'm sure she's already waiting."

"Her..!" Lance watches with rising panic as the live feed comes on and the outside of his workshop on Umibe Island comes into vision. "Mira..." the shipwright groans, his hands clenching into fists in his lap. "This is bad..!"

"Is it working?" Mira appears in the middle of the screen, almost completely covering the view. "Hello?" she says. "Is it on?"

"It's on, Mira, but back up a little!" Teruul says and moves back to her seat, smiling widely as Mira assumes a proper distance from the Den-Den Mushi. "Sadly, we don't have time for chit-chat now, so I'll just go right down to business, okay?"

"Ready when you are!"

"_Since Lance is always so cool and composed, I can't help but wonder if he's ever done something embarrassing. Mira, do you have any good stories?"_

"Oh, let me think... Oh yes!" Mira claps her hands together, a pure and innocent smile on her lips. "A long time ago, back when I had just started sowing, I wanted to make a pretty dress for myself," she says cheerfully. "But back then, I didn't really know anyone on Umibe Island, and I couldn't go up to a random girl I didn't know and say, 'hey, want to be my model?'."

"Mira, I hardly think this is a story you ought to-"

"Back then, I only knew Lance," Mira continues, seemingly completely unaware that Lance is turning more and more distressed with every word. "And when Lance was young, he had a _very_ feminine look, he was really slender. In other words, he was the perfect model."

Atalaya quickly presses a hand over her lips to muffle whatever chuckle was about to escape her. She clears her throat in attempt to hide her glee, a complete failure when she turns her attention to Roa and Kitsune, who are both staring up at Mira with extreme satisfaction and anticipation on their faces. Even Ruule's smile is turning more and more joyful as he observes Lance's reactions.

"So I started sowing the dress with Lance as my model," Mira mercilessly moves on. "And when I was done, you'll never guess what happened. Lance refused to give me the dress! He said he wanted to keep it! And he wore it for over a week, living his daily life in the village, not at all embarrassed by the fact that he was strutting around in a frilly dress. And when he finally agreed to take it off, it accidentally ripped, and Lance started crying like a baby!"

While the audience releases an 'aww' of sentiment, everybody on stage – apart from Lance – breaks down into hysterical laughter. Roa and Atalaya are both toppled over in their seats, cackling like hyenas, Kitsune's so far gone his laugher sounds more like sharp inhales, and Ruule has buried his face in his hands, his shoulders trembling with poorly suppressed chortling. Even Teruul struggles to get enough air as her abdomen starts stinging.

Lance's left eyebrow twitches as he clears his throat and straightens his back in attempt to regain some of his pride. "I'd like to remind everyone here that I was only eight years old, and—"

"Nothin' ya say now's gonna save yer face, fancy pants," Kitsune breathes out, waving his right hand to fan his face.

"Oh-okay," Teruul huffs and sits up straight, massaging her cheeks which have gone sore from her constant smiling. "Okay, Mira, do you have anything else, any other great secrets?"

"... Lance's full name is Lancelot."

"What?!" Lance jumps to his feet, his face beet red when finally the crowd joins the wild laughter. "That is a blatant lie, and you know it!" the shipwright says loudly, his voice almost not hearable thanks to hie fellow crew mates' cackling. "Admit it, Mira!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" Mira says and raises her hands in defeat. "I just wanted to see how everybody would react if they thought your name really_ was_ Lancelot..."

"_You_ are the last person to make fun of the names of others!" Lance says and raises a hand to point at Mira. "Is that not so, Grisendel Miraora?"

Mira emits a high-pitched squeal and loses her footing as she tries to lunge forward towards the Den-Den Mushi. "You..!" She spits out a mouthful of grass and quickly covers the snail's eyes with her hands. "You promised you'd _never_ say that name again!"

"It seems you have met your match, milady!" Lance says pompously and crosses his arms over his chest. "'Tis the punishment you receive for spreading lies!"

"Why, you... this interview is _over_!" The screen clicks and goes dark, leaving behind an eerie silence.

"Aaalright," Teruul says slowly and quickly shuffles for a new q-card. "Now you've both been embarrassed, so can we move on? Roa and Lancelo- I mean, Lance?" The archer nods, broad grin still plastered to his face, while Lance sends Teruul a cool glare before taking his seat and nodding curtly. "Good."

"_What's Ruule's worst fear?"_

"My worst fear?" the chef repeats slowly. "Well, a few years back, I had this reoccurring nightmare that I was chased by a giant, rotten lime fruit. It was really violent, and it kept destroying all the dishes I had prepared for a big dinner service. In the end, when I had my back facing a wall, the lime turned into a spitting image of me. Only it looked really violent and scary... and when it pulled my own gun to shoot me, I woke up."

He nods his head in agreement to his own words, failing to notice the glance the rest of the crew exchange with each other. "So," he says and shrugs. "I'd say my worst fear is having all my dinner dishes destroyed. Or then I might fear limes..."

"Really," Roa repeats in disbelief. "_That_'s the only thing the dream made you scared of? Geez, this guy..."

"Well, I can't fear myself, can I?" Ruule asks, shaking his head as if the mere though it ridiculous. "What do I have to fear about myself?"

"The psycho in your body?" Roa mutters, quietly enough so the chef doesn't hear him. "Okay, whatever. Next question."

"Right," Teruul says and nods as she grabs another card.

"_Kitsune, who would you rather fight; Atalaya, or Roa and Lance at the same time?"_

"Why do I gotta choose?" the swordsman asks, his eyebrows furrowing in genuine confusion. "I'll just fight 'em all at the same time. 'S no big deal."

"No big deal?" Atalaya repeats and straightens up in her seat. "Okay, Kitsune, your arrogance is starting to get a _little_ too out of control here. There's no way you could defeat all three of us at the same time! _I_ defeated you on my own once, remember?"

"Ya got lucky, sweetheart," Kitsune says, intentionally tantalizing her.

"While I find your confidence an amusing trait," Lance says slowly. "Hearing you say such words appears more like an insult than mere boasting, Kitsune."

"Damn straight," Roa snaps. "Take that back or we'll prove right here who you'd rather fight!"

"Stop overreactin'," Kitsune sighs and shakes his head. "I was just sayin' that fightin' all of ya ain't a big deal, I never said I'd be winnin'."

Silence follows his words as his words takes form in everybody's minds. "That's true," Atalaya says and leans back down. "Sorry, Kitsune."

"A'course, I _would_ win."

"That's it!"

"No, no!" Teruul says loudly and claps her hands together when Atalaya and Roa both jump to their feet. "No fighting! How many times do I have to tell you that?" She waits for the two to sit back down, both wearing twin scowls. "Okay, let's take the next question."

"_Atalaya, what would you do if someone from your crew lost your bandana?"_

"My bandana?" Atalaya furrows her brow in confusion. "Nothing," she says. "I mean, I'd make the one who lost it buy me a new one, but it's just a bandana. What, what _should_ I do?"

"I think what the asker wants to know is if you have some sort of special bond with your bandana," Teruul says. "You know, the reason why you wear it."

"Oh. Well, I don't have a _special bond_ to that particular bandana," Atalaya says and shakes her head. "I just like wearing bandanas. Keeps my hair outta my eyes, you know?"

"Good point. Okay, next question," Teruul says.

"_How many suits does Lance own?"_

"The answer depends," the shipwright says. "If the question refers to _outfits_, I can combine everything I own into different looks, meaning I have an infinity of suits. However, if the question refers only to _jackets_, I-"

"Just answer the damn question, pretty boy," Roa snaps, earning him a glare of disdain from Lance.

"As you wish, charlatan," he snorts. "A total of 13 suits."

"And they're all different?" Teruul asks.

"Very much so indeed. Different colors, different designs, different shapes and proportions."

"But you wear your trademark hat with every single one of them?"

"Yes."

"Okay," Teruul says and drops the subject. "Moving on."

"_Roa, do you think you're a better sniper than Sogeking, who can 'hit a mouse's eye from afar'?"_

"I wouldn't really call myself a sniper to begin with," Roa says. "I see myself as an archer rather than a sniper. And since I don't think I'd be able to "hit a mouse's eye from afar", tough I could probably shoot the mouse either way, I say no. I'm not better than him. As far as sniping goes. Maybe Ruule could put up a good competition."

"Me?" The chef smiles warmly at the praise. "I've never tried such a thing," he says apologetically. "I usually don't have reasons to shoot mice, especially from afar, so I wouldn't know."

"Huh. Modesty." Teruul grins at both Roa and Ruule's expressions. "Okay, next question."

"_Kitsune, do you _ever_ get upset?"_

"Nope," the swordsman says and smirks widely.

"Really?" Teruul wonders, slight disbelief in her voice. "Never? Never _ever_?"

"It's actually true," Atalaya says and flicks her head in Kitsune's direction. "During the whole time we've been traveling together, I've never seen him lose his temper. Not once."

"He's right," Roa says while Lance and Ruule both nod in agreement.

"Impressive, I say," Teruul chuckles, quickly shuffling the q-cards before selecting the next one.

"_Atalaya, is there any type of bug that freaks you out?"_

"Not really," she says and shrugs. "I mean, I wouldn't be too happy if I found a tarantula crawling up my leg, but I wouldn't scream if a fly flew towards me. Oh, wait!" She pauses, a dark expression crawling over her face. "Fleas," she whispers, shivering at her own words. "I can't stand fleas. They crawl in your skin, torturing your sanity without mercy. Fleas, fleas, and you never get rid of them, the _fleas_..."

"Spoken like a true Zoan user," Teruul says, slight concern in her voice as she watches Atalaya rock back and forth in her seat, mumbling the word 'fleas' to herself over and over. "Okay, I'll distract you with another question," Teruul says.

"_Has Atalaya ever fallen into water when she was younger?"_

"Fleas, fleas- no," Atalaya says and looks up. "Believe it or not, that time on Runuura Island was the first time. See, since I've lived my entire life in the middle of an island in North Blue, there was never any water around for me to fall into. The lakes are frozen all year around, and I had no reason to walk all the way to the shores and dive into the freezing ocean. Of course, I still knew exactly what it meant if I _would_ fall into water. The doctor of my hometown told me. And, I suppose, my instincts as part feline. Water's like an enemy to me."

"Understandable, I suppose," Teruul says and nods. "Moving on."

"_Roa, if you could dare Lance to do anything, what would it be?"_

A grin slowly stretches the archer's face as he glares at the petrified shipwright. "Okay, here's proper payback time," Roa says and leans forward, propping his elbows up on his knees. "Maybe I'd have him wear a dress and take a few pictures, send the pictures to all newspapers in the world and pay them to publish it..?"

"How dare-"

"No, wait." Roa shakes his head and sighs. "It wouldn't be devastating enough for pretty boy," he says. "I say I'd have him burn all of his suits. Ah, wait," he adds again, as if struck by a frightening thought. "Burn all of his suits except for one."

"Why not all of 'em?" Kitsune manages to ask in between his cackling.

"Because pretty boy would refuse to wear anything else than his suits," Roa snorts, a disgruntled scowl on his face as he rests his chin on his hands. "And I'd _really_ hate to see him strut around nake-"

Lance interrupts his sentence by hurling one of the couch's cushions straight into Roa's face, effectively making him bite his own tongue. "Stop. Talking. _Now_," the shipwright rumbles, the air around him turning ominous.

"Or what, pretty boy?" Roa retorts, obviously very satisfied he's managed to get Lance riled up. "You'll suffocate me with the hem of your pink, frilly dress?"

"I'll cut your tongue clean off, charlatan," Lance growls, making a move as if reaching for his trench knives, only to realize his blades are safely stored on Atlas. "One of these days, you will regret your words," the shipwright snaps, twisting his head to the other side so he wouldn't have to look at the Roa. "I'll make sure of that."

"This talk show is clearly only making your relationship even worse," Teruul mutters, flinching when both Roa and Lance send her a murderous glare.

"What _relationship_?" they both growl at the same time, their tone making Teruul shrink in her seat.

"Never mind, never mind!" she squeals and lifts a new q-card to hide behind. "N-next question, h-here we go."

"_Same thing with Kitsune; if you could dare Atalaya to do anything, what would it be?"_

It's Atalaya's turn to stiffen, her smile quickly faltering as she waits for the call of her doom to arrive. "'S a _very_ good question, ya know," Kitsune jingles, his tone triggering a rush of goosebumps over Atalaya's neck. "And the cap'n would _have_ ta do whatever I ask?"

"Yeah."

"'S that so." The smirk on Kitsune's lips is inhuman as he tilts his head back and inhales deeply. "I'd make the cap'n ****** with **** *****, usin' ********* and ***** *** ta **** *****," he says, barely even getting to finish his sentence before both Roa and Lance shoot to their feet, faces equally beet red with rage and offense, both of them one second away from strangling the swordsman to death.

This time, Kitsune's laughter is so violent he falls off his seat and onto the floor, gasping for air as his abs contract with every sharp inhale. "You stupid son of a..!" Roa bends down and grabs hold of the collar of the swordsman's suit, pulling him up from the floor to give him the beating of his life, but he stops when Atalaya rises from the couch and places a hand on his shoulder.

"C'mon, even _you_ can tell when he's joking," she says and elbows Kitsune in the ribs, making him drop back into his seat, his mouth still open in breathless cackling. "Don't take everything he says so seriously. In fact, don't take even _half_ of what he says seriously."

"Certain things should _never_ be voiced, even as a joke!" Lance says loudly and shakes his head, clenching his hands into fists as he tries to calm himself. "Apologize this instant, Kitsune!"

"A-arite, gimme a sec." It takes the swordsman close to thirty seconds to sit up straight, his limbs dead from suppressing his glee. "Sorry 'bout that, cap'n," he chortles, not a hint of doubt in his words. "I just wanted ta see how ya would react."

Atalaya snorts and clicks her tongue in irritation as she sits back down. "You're gonna have to step up your game, idiot," she says coolly. "Don't forget I've known you the longest."

Kitsune's retort is interrupted by a cheerful chuckle. "I think this solves the question of who's got the dirtiest mind, though," Ruule says and smiles, again baffling everybody with his complete lack of reaction. "Now we won't have to worry about it anymore, right?"

He looks over at Teruul, who's just about fainted in her seat. "Huh?" she presses out, sounding beyond exhausted. "Oh, yeah, right." She sits up straight and wipes her forehead. "Christ, you gave me a heart attack, Kitsune," she grumbles, not budging when the swordsman turns to face her. "Answer the question properly now so we can move on!"

"Arite, arite, I hear ya," Kitsune snorts. "How 'bout if I asked the cap'n ta flash the marines? Ya know, give 'em a look at the goods."

"_Hah_!" Atalaya releases a bark of laughter before anyone else has the time to react. "If you're talking about my upper body, I don't care either way," she says and proudly straightens her back. "There's not much to see, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference!" A second's silence passes before both she and Kitsune breaks out laughing while Roa sighs in deep frustration and Lance looks like he's been struck like lightning.

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous!" Teruul says loudly, her voice like a whiplash. "This is a family-friendly show, so stop talking about stuff like that!" She waits for both of them to nod before tearing up a new card, muttering under her breath before reading it out loud.

"_Atalaya, who do you think is the weakest/strongest in your crew?"_

"Hmm." While Atalaya sinks into deep thought, the rest of her crew instantly sit up a little straighter, a sudden stiff atmosphere settling over the studio. "Depends on _what_ strength you're talking about," Atalaya finally says, fully aware of the awkwardness. "In physical strength, I'd say Lance. I'm stronger than him only thanks to my Devil's Fruit's ability, so I don't count that. In ranged attacks, I'd say Roa's stronger than Ruule, because Roa's arrows can deal more devastation. However, Ruule takes first place in precision, which is equally important. Kitsune's more skilled with blades than Lance. I'd say no one here is _weak_. We're _all_ the strongest, in our own ways."

A brief silence follows her words as the others nods in agreement, the awkwardness floating off. Though it doesn't escape Atalaya's attention that Kitsune's smile looks just a little too stiff. "Of course, I can't say who'd win in a one-on-one fight," she adds, shrugging. "In a battle where you go all out... well, we'd just have to try that out, wouldn't we?"

Teruul nods, a satisfied smile on her lips. "Good answer, captain," she says and shuffles for a new card. "Okay, not many more to go before our special guest arrives!"

"_Roa, would you wear green tights?"_

"What the hell kind of question is that?" the archer sputters, flushing in irritation as the audience breaks out into laughter. "No, I wouldn't! Not only would it look damn ridiculous, I _hate_ wearing tight things!"

"Okay, so no," Teruul grins, chuckling when the crowd sighs in disappointment. "Let's move on."

"_Lance, if you could eat _any_ Devil's Fruit, which would it be?"_

"Tough one," the shipwright says and sighs, scratching his neck as he considers his options. "Perhaps a Paramecia type which would allow me to turn my skin into steel or iron. The trait could be useful both in battle and while creating new equipment and weapons."

"So... the Tetsu Tetsu no mi," Teruul says and nods her head as she scribbles down the name on the backside of her script. "Nice choice. Okay, next question."

"_Would Atalaya change her Devil's Fruit if she could take any other one instead?"_

"No way," Atalaya says and grins. "I like my nine lives the way they are, thanks."

Teruul releases a short chuckle and nods to show her agreement before choosing a new card.

"_Roa, Lance, who do you think is more popular between the two of you?"_

"I'd love to jump up and say 'me'," Lance says and sighs. "But this is a logical question, not one answered by the one who'd win the a fist fight."

"Yeah," Roa says and shoots a glance at the audience. "I still thinks it's me, though."

The shipwright's left eyebrow twitches, but he remains silent. "Arguing with you would get us nowhere, charlatan," he snaps and crosses his arms over his chest. "So I'll let you believe whatever you want. Shall we continue?"

"O-okay," Teruul says, somewhat confused at this quiet agreement.

"_Atalaya, what would it take to put you in a dress?"_

"I'd have to be dead," she says. "And why the hell is that a question, anyways? You all know _exactly_ that I'd _never_ wear a dress!"

"What if Blackbeard himself told you to wear a dress or he'd kill you?" Teruul presses, amused by Atalaya's reaction.

"I repeat, I'd have to be dead to wear a dress," Atalaya growls. "So I'd tell Blackbeard to shove the dress up his ass and then fight him until one of us dies."

"So we can put ya in a dress fer yer funeral?" Kitsune wonders, unfazed by Atalaya's glare.

"I'll come back to haunt you forever, but sure," she says snappishly. "Next question!"

"Right away," Teruul says. "Okay, this is the last question before we call out our special guest onto the stage."

"_Can Roa hold his liquor?"_

"Of course I can," the archer scoffs, as if believing the opposite would be an offense.

"Oh? What proof do you have, charlatan?" Lance says dryly, crossing his arms over his chest as he glares at Roa. "Is this a matter where we simply have to take your word for it? Because, I truly do _not_ believe you."

"I don't care if you believe me or not," Roa growls. "I can hold my liquor. At least better than _you_."

"How dare you insinuate something as ridiculous? I-"

"Ya know, it ain't impossible ta prove it," Kitsune pipes up, an ominously mischievous smirk on his lips. "Ya could just have a drinkin' game."

Teruul clears her throat and raises a hand. "Eh, I don't think that's-"

"Good idea," Atalaya says loudly and claps her hands together. "There should be some alcohol in this building, right?"

"Umm, please listen-"

"It'll be more interesting if we all compete, right?" Ruule interrupts, offering Atalaya a wide smile. "This way we can see who holds it best."

"Guys-"

"Fine by me," Roa says and leans forward in his seat, a toothy grin on his lips. "I'll get to kick your ass in front of an audience, pretty boy!"

"I accept your challenge, charlatan!" Lance retorts with disdain, reaching up to pull his hat a bit further down his forehead, to give his face a dark shading.

"But the special guest-"

"He can wait," Atalaya says and grins. "C'mon, don't stop us from having fun!"

Teruul sighs dramatically and leans back in her chair, a sour expression on her face. "Fine," she says snappishly. "Do whatever you want, I don't care." She turns her face to one of the burly men who brought in the Den-Den Mushi before. "Go get all sake we have in the cabinet," she says. "All of it."

"Yes, ma'am."

Not two minutes later, the table in the middle of the studio is filled with countless bottles of sake and tankard-sized drinking glasses. "Alright, this'll be good," Atalaya chuckles and glances over at Teruul. "You wanna join the battle?"

"No thanks," Teruul retorts and flips her script. "I'm a teetotaler. Meaning I don't drink," she adds when Atalaya looks confused. "I hate alcohol. But go ahead and drink, the rest of you. I'll just write ahead on the next episode while I wait. Gonna make Runuura eat you all and end the story."

"Sounds great, have fun!"

"I'ma be the judge," Kitsune says and rises to take a seat on the backrest of the couch. "I ain't drinkin' in front of a crowd, so I'll just go ahead and count yer drinks instead."

"Fine by me," Roa says and quickly fills every glass with the beverage. "Okay, ready?"

"Arite, the drinkin' game starts _now_."

Instantly, the four members around the table raise their glasses to their lips and down the drink in one go. Atalaya clears her throat as she puts down her glass, coughing slightly at the taste. "Whoa, that's bitter," she says, grinning as Roa fills her glass again. "Everybody good to go?"

"Fancy pants, yer lookin' a li'l red," Kitsune jingles, but the shipwright shakes his head in denial.

"Not at all," he says, his voice hoarse as he raises his once again full glass. "I'm completely fine."

"If ya say so. Down the second round, folks."

On command, they all indulge their second glass, and just as Atalaya sets down her glass on the table again, she exclaims in shock when Lance's weight suddenly collides with her shoulder. "What's-" She looks down at the shipwright, her surprise growing tenfold when she sees his cheeks are burning red, his eyelids heavy. "Lance?"

All she gets in return is an incoherent groan, and before she has the chance to even move, Kitsune breaks out into a wave of hyena-like laughter. "Oi oi, I think fancy pants' already outta the game," he says spitefully, clapping his hands against his knees. "Two glasses of sake's his limit."

Roa snorts, a smug grin on his face as he glares down at the shipwright. "Told you I was better," he scoffs. "Though two glasses is pretty sad. It's not even competition."

"C'mon, lay off him," Atalaya says and pushes Lance back into a sitting position. "Geez, he's completely wasted."

"'M not," the shipwright mumbles, his eyebrows knitting together as he frowns, the color of his face deep red. "'M jus' tired, 's all."

"Yeah, okay," Atalaya chuckles, smirking at Lance's state. "What about you, Ruule? You still good to go?"

"Uh-huh," the chef chirps and hold out his glass so Roa can fill it one more time. "I'm fine."

"Arite, glass number three's on," Kitsune says and claps his hands together. "Drink."

They all down their third glass, and their fourth, and their fifth, all the way up to the ninth, but just as they've downed their tenth, Atalaya suddenly slams both of her hands into the table, making the empty bottles rattle together.

"'S a... 's th' stupidest game 'n th' world," she slurs, a deep scowl on her face as she glares down at her tankard. "Ya hear me, th' stupidest game! Hate this stupid game!"

"Ara," Kitsune hums, his smirk threatening to break his cheeks. "Looks like the cap'n's an angry drunk."

"Who're ya call'n angry, 'diot?" Atalaya says loudly and tries to stand up, but she wobbles and stumbles right back into her seat. "Yer 'n ass, Kits'ne. Yer all asses!"

"Okay, so the captain's out," Roa says and quickly snatches Atalaya's tankard away from her. "Leaving me and Ruule."

"'Ey, who said I w's out?" Atalaya demands, twisting her head around as if searching for anyone who would've dared to make such an accusation. "I ain't out, no way!"

"You don't have a glass," Roa snorts and leans forward to fill Ruule's tankard. "How're you gonna compete without a glass?"

Atalaya looks down, blinking a few times as she attempts to focus her attention on the table. "I do too have a... wha' happ'nd t' ma glass?!" she yells when she finds her tankard gone. "Who th' 'ell took ma glass?!"

"See? You're out," Roa scoffs and raises his glass to toast with Ruule. "Bottoms up."

"Yer all stupid," Atalaya mutters and leans back into her seat, scooting as far down as possible. "All of ya. Stupid."

Both Roa and Ruule completely ignore her and gulp down their eleventh glass. "You still good to go?" Roa asks when he's swallowed the last drop, feeling a bit lightheaded.

"Absolutely," Ruule chuckles, apparently not affected at all. "It'll be the twelfth, right?"

"Right."

Teruul shakes her head and mutters something about 'irresponsibility' as she watches the archer and the chef chug down six more drinks. By this point, Roa's face has been tinted a pretty dark hue of red, while Ruule, miraculously, still looks completely fine.

"Shit," Roa grumbles as he pours their eighteenth cup. "How can you be so unaffected?"

"I feel fine," Ruule says and shrugs, his ever so bright smile never leaving his lips. "Maybe a little tired, but fine."

Roa stares at him in disbelief for a few seconds before shaking his head, instantly regretting the motion when a dull headache settles into the back of his head. "Crazy guy," he mumbles as he lifts his glass to his lips.

"Less mutterin', more drinkin', blondie," Kitsune jingles.

Halfway through the glass, Roa coughs and lowers his glass, his eyes closed as he groans. "I'm done," he says and puts his tankard onto the table, suppressing a hiccough as he leans back and cracks an eye open to watch Ruule casually throw back the entire drink. "I'm gettin' too drunk, and I already know I won't win against that guy."

"Arite." Kitsune releases a dark chuckle and claps his hands together. "So, the airhead wins," he snickers. "Way ta-"

He bites off his sentence when the chef releases a loud snort as he puts down his glass. "What the hell?" he sighs, his tone dark and threatening. "You're gonna quit the competition halfway through? Grow a spine, archer, and drink!"

Teruul quickly snaps out of her daze and sits up straight as she stares at the chef with wide eyes. "This is either very bad or... well, less bad, but it's still bad," she mumbles, her suspicions confirmed when the chef leans back, a malicious grin on his lips.

"You didn't think I was gonna sit this one out, did you?" Eluur barks, chortling loudly when Roa sighs deeply.

"Now I'm _definitely _not gonna continue," the archer mutters and rubs his temple. "That guy's not even a little drunk. That guy can prob'ly support two humans' capacity for alcohol. I'm not gonna go up against that."

"C'mon, coward, stop whining," Eluur says loudly and stands up, snatching the bottle of sake from in front of Roa and pours the archer another glass. "Drink it! Or are you scared?"

"Very."

"Uh... Eluur?"

The chef glances over his shoulder and at Teruul, who's scooted to the edge of her seat, clutching a few q-cards to her chest. "Uh, I've got some questions for you to answer," she says, shivering under the glare Eluur offers her. "I'm sure you've been aware of what we're doing at the moment..."

"Oh, yeah, the stupid talk show," the chef snorts and moves back to his seat. "Fine, get it over and done with, then we'll continue the drinking game."

"Eh, I don't know about..." Teruul's voice trails off and she quickly shuffles through the cards before Eluur has a chance to start throwing sake bottles at her. "Okay, first question."

"_Eluur, who's your favorite of the Saber Pirates?"_

"That guy," the chef says and points at Lance, who's mumbling to himself, apparently half asleep. "He's the one who gave me the bullets, so he's the least annoying one."

"R-right, okay," Teruul says and picks a new card.

"_Is Eluur as good a chef as Ruule?"_

"What the- of course I'm as good as that retard!" Eluur snarls and jumps to his feet. "The hell, we share the same body, so we share the same damn skills! What kind of an idiot would think something else?"

"Yer too loud, shut up," Atalaya groans, her eyes closed as she bangs her heel into the table. "'M tryin'a sleep here, stupids!"

"Okay, so you're just as good," Teruul hurries to say, completely ignoring Atalaya's words. "C'mon, next question, next question!"

"_What is Eluur's favorite play/opera?"_

"Don Giovanni," the chef says and sits back down, a lazy smirk on his lips as he waves his hands as if conducting an invisible orchestra. "The role of the main character is one I would play any day of the year."

"Don Giovanni," Teruul repeats, slight amusement in her voice. "You mean the young and arrogant nobleman who abuses everybody he knows, spreads chaos and outrage wherever he goes?" She releases a short chuckle when Eluur nods. "Okay, I suppose that's... yeah, let's just move on," she mumbles, careful to not trigger a rage attack from the gunman. "Okay, next- eh, _question_."

"_Eluur, are you a sadist?"_

The chef freezes, along with Kitsune, whose smile grows to new proportions as he waits for Eluur to answer, and Roa, who cracks his eyes open to follow the scene with mild interest.

"Sadist," the gunman repeats, and the blood in Teruul's veins turns to ice when a sinister, downright dangerous smirk slowly tugs on the corners of his lips. "Not sure," he says darkly and leans closer to Teruul. "Wanna ditch this place and find out? We can measure how much of a masochist _you_ are at the same time."

"Gah!" Teruul quickly leans so far back in her chair it lifts off the floor and tips backwards, throwing her onto the floor. "Shit, that hurts," Teruul squeals and rubs the back of her head, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Why are all of you suddenly so keen to prove who's the most perverted one?!"

Her words are completely lost on Kitsune and Eluur, who are too busy laughing their heads off to even notice her frustration. Roa just scoffs and shakes his head, far too buzzed to have the power and patience to deal with his fellow crew members.

"Fine, let's just call out the special guest!" Teruul says loudly as she lifts her chair up. "I'll make him arrest all of you if you don't calm down!" She takes her seat and clears her throat, inhaling deeply a few times before equipping a dazzling smile and turning to the crowd. "Having received so many questions from you askers, I decided to invite him along," she says. "Here on popular demand, Marine Commander Lash!"

Everyone in the crowd jumps to their feet and hollers in delight as Lash steps out onto the stage, his usual marine jacket pulled over an open black suit. A pearl white dress shirt covers his upper body, with a pitch black tie around his neck. He strides over to the couches, but halts when his eyes land on Atalaya, who's practically lying down in her seat, face pulled into a lazy scowl as she keeps drifting between a state of sleep and wake.

"Lash here has agreed to not apprehend anyone from the Saber Pirates today," Teruul says and motions for her assistants to bring out a new chair for the commander. "Though I might revoke that offer if you guys don't start behaving properly!" Her words make Kitsune and Eluur sober up, and they both send a challenging glare at Lash before nodding.

"What the hell's going on here," the commander demands and nods at Atalaya and Lance as he strides over the floor to take his seat next to Teruul. "Are they _drunk_?"

"Yeah, don't mind them," Teruul scoffs. "They insisted on hosting a drinking game here. Idiots, all of them." She pauses to sigh before withdrawing a wad of cards from inside her jacket. "You ready for your questions?" she asks.

"... Yeah, sure."

"_When is Commander Lash's birthday, and how old is he?"_

"I'm 27 years old," he says, his usual scowl deepening as he observes the less than dignified state of the Saber Pirates. "Born on February 28th. Are they all of legal age to be drinking?"

"Like I said, ignore them," Teruul states absentmindedly. "So, February 28th. Exactly five months before mine," she adds, shaking her head when Lash quirks an eyebrow at her. "No, nothing. Let's move on."

"_Commander Lash, if given the opportunity, would you eat a Devil's Fruit?"_

"I would," he says and nods curtly.

"... Care to elaborate?" Teruul frowns and waves a hand around. "Like, _which_ Devil's Fruit would you want to eat?"

"That wasn't the question."

"I'm asking you now, blockhead."

"_Blockhead_?" Lash repeats loudly, making Teruul jump up in her seat. "I could arrest _you_ for insulting a defendant of the laws," the commander snaps and withdraws a pair of blueish handcuffs from inside his marine jacket.

"You already promised to not arrest-"

"I didn't say anything about _you_!"

Teruul smiles nervously, a sting of irritation in the back of her mind as Eluur snorts in amusement at her meek reactions. "Okay, sorry," she huffs and sits up straight. "Put those away. Please. And answer the question. Please."

"Better," Lash scoffs and shoves the cuffs back into his pocket. "Which Devil's Fruit would I eat? A Fruit that'd let me control the wind. That way, when I'm chasing after a pirate ship, I could increase the speed of my own ship or make their ship slow down."

"Always thinkin' 'bout capturin' pirates, are ya?" Kitsune pipes up, his head tilted to the side with a sinister smirk on his lips. "Ya must be really frustrated, bein' here with us and not bein' able ta arrest us, huh?"

"Don't test my patience, Crimson Fox," Lash growls, the lines of his face instantly growing more and more well-defined. "Or you'll be the first one I go after once we're out of this studio!"

"Ah, I wouldn't take him seriously," Eluur sighs, an equally malicious grin on his lips as the one on Kitsune's. "See, he doesn't have eyes for anyone else but Sabertooth, right? So as long as you hide behind your captain, you're just about fine."

"What-"

"I ain't plannin' on hidin' from anyone," Kitsune states, averting his attention from Lash to the gunman, his expression darkening at the insinuation. "Ya might wanna watch which words ya choose."

"Or what?" Eluur snorts. "You're gonna make me?"

"I could if I wanted ta."

"Okay, while those idiots are occupied with themselves, let's move on," Teruul says and shakes her head. "You good to go, Lash?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" the commander snorts in return, his eyebrows knitting together in frustration.

"No, I just... whatever. Next question."

"_If you had to choose, Lash, whom of the Saber Pirates would you hug?"_

"Who would I- no one!" Lash says loudly, his scowl deepening drastically when Kitsune and Eluur interrupt their bickering to sneer at him, overjoyed to see him struggle with such a question. "I'm a marine! I'd _never_ hug a pirate! Who would want to know such a thing?"

"Well, you know how fans go," Teruul says and smiles mischievously. "Depending on your answer, you can open several doors for new couples to ship."

"Ship?" the commander repeats, confusion replacing his irritation. "What does it mean, to ship a couple?"

Teruul clears her throat, struggling to keep a calm and academic expression. "Let's recite the dictionary's explanation," she says slowly, trying her best to not sound too smug. "_The phrase 'shipping couples' is commonly used to describe a fan-created couple of two characters in a series. Their connections are usually based on romantic events, deep friendships, clash-of-interests or strong rivalry_."

When Lash still looks puzzled, Teruul sighs and says, "Basically, the one who asked the question wants to know who you'd be most likely to have a relationship with in an alternate universe. Or this universe. Either way."

The commander looks like he's been struck by lightning. He doesn't even seem to notice when the two sober pirates break down into hysterical cackling, nor the audience's perfect silence as they wait for his answer.

"I... I would _never_..." Lash's tone makes cold shivers travel down Teruul's spine, and she quickly scoots as far away from him as possible. "Not in a million years would I _ever_ have a _relationship_ with a _pirate_!" he says, his rage making the air around him quiver as if on fire. "Especially with the likes of _them_!" He glares daggers at the Saber Pirates, and Teruul can't help but agree with him as she's reminded of their current state.

"Okay, say they're not drunk," she says, perfectly aware of what the answer will be. "Then who would you-"

"_No one_!"

"I thought so." Teruul shrugs and flips onto the next card. "Okay, the rest of these questions are not much different," she says. "So let's just ask the least provocative one and be done with it."

"_What's the color of Lash's underwear?"_

"_That_'s the least provocative one?" Lash demands in disbelief. "What the hell's wrong with the viewers of this story? Why do they want to know stuff like this?"

"It intrigues them, I suppose," Teruul says. "So, what color are you wearing right now?"

"I'm _not_ gonna grace that question with an answer, mark my-"

A sudden crash makes both Teruul and Lash jump in shock, and they quickly turn their attention to the table. Atalaya has snapped out of her drunken daze and slammed both of her fists into the desk, sending empty bottles of sake rolling in every direction.

"Ya know, yer too stuck up, c'mander," she says loudly and stands up on wobbly legs, an expression of anger and offense on her flushed face. "Ya keep refusin' to answer all these questions, which people've taken time to c'm up with! Answer th' damn question!"

If possible, Lash's scowl deepens even further as he rises to his feet to meet Atalaya's challenging glare. "You're in no position to make demands here, Sabertooth," he growls darkly. "And if you don't want me to arrest you, sit back down on the couch and shut the hell up!"

Atalaya stands on the spot for a few seconds, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. Then, after ten seconds of silence, she leans forward a little. "Lance," she says, and the shipwright instantly comes to life, albeit completely distorted. "C'n ya hold 'im down fer me?"

"Aye aye, cap'n."

"Wha-"

Before Lash can even finish uttering his first word, Atalaya lunges forward. Her speed is incredible, taken her drunken state into consideration, and she crashes into the commander's chest, knocking both of them onto the floor. "Time to show everybody what color underwear yer wearin', commander," she says, deadly serious as she pins his arms to the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Lash shouts and tries to struggle free, but before his muscles have the chance to propel into action, Lance appears next to him and replaces Atalaya's grip on his wrists, pushing down with all his weight.

"Cap'n orders," the shipwright sings, completely wasted. "Always followin' cap'n orders..."

"Atalaya!" Teruul yells and jumps to her feet, completely shocked when Atalaya tries to pull down Lash's pants. "Stop that right now!" She flinches when the crowd starts hollering, all of them cheering Atalaya on. "_Don't encourage her_!"

The scene finally becomes too much for Kitsune to handle; he throws his head back to release a bark of laughter, but the force of his tilt throws him off his seat on the backrest of the couch and onto the floor. He doesn't even seem to notice, rolling back and forth over the stage's floor, laughing so hard he's almost crying.

While Eluur follows his example and nearly suffocates on his own cackling, Roa remains in his seat, shaking his head at his captain's behavior. "Unbelievable," he mutters, his headache intensifying at the loud voices. "I can't believe I sail with these people."

"Okay, we need to cut the show_ now_!" Teruul shouts, abandoning the task of trying to drag Atalaya off of Lash's body. The commander has started flailing violently, trying his best to aim a kick at Atalaya and stop her from unbuckling his belt, but she miraculously manages to dodge every strike. "Seriously, call security and come break this shit up!"

Teruul hurries to the front of the stage, a failed attempt of an exasperated smile on her lips. "I'm afraid this concludes our show for tonight," she says loudly to be heard over the deafening ruckus behind her. "This special Talk Show will be back along with the 200th episode, so keep your questions fresh in-"

"I c'n see his underwear! Lash's wearin' firetruck-red underwear!"

"Get the hell off me, Sabertooth! Or I swear, I'll-"

"'Ey, lookie! His underwear also spell _Justice_ on th' front! In green!"

"I'll slaughter you if you don't release me _right now_!"

"Followin' cap'n's orders, all day long, followin' cap'n's orders while I'm singing this song..."

"_Atalaya, get off him right now! And cut this damned show off before I lose my shit and kill someone!_"

-click-

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _… pfft..!_

_Gahahah! Oh my god! Am I the only one who laughed my ass off at the ending of this?! I can't believe this! This was _so_ goddamn entertaining to write, this entire episode! Whoop!_

_31 pages. Precisely 15400 words. And I regret nothing. Plus, it was fun writing in present tense! It was a refreshing change! Taking the role of the talk show host was hilarious for me! I mean, I got to connect myself to Race. Properly._

_I bet all of you freaked out when you read "Lancelot". I'm sorry, I just had to throw it out there. Heh. Oh, and I'll leave it up to your imagination what it is Kitsune would've dared Atalaya to do. Heh._

_I'm sure some of you noticed that their some of your questions weren't answered. This may have happened because of; a) the questions will answer themselves as Race's story moves on. Answering the question would be spoiling., or b) they have something to do with romance between the characters aboard Atlas. They wouldn't answer questions like that, so I excluded them. Sorry._

_Special mention goes to TheMatchingOddSocks, whose questions made the entire end scene, from the drinking game to pulling pants off, possible. Thank you, Sockity-sensei!_

_Thanks to all of you who've stuck with me so far, and to all of you who sent in your questions! I'm really happy to have readers like you, you make my writing so much more fun! And, like I said "on stage", the Race for One Piece Special Talk Show will be back with episode 200, so keep thinking of questions you'd like to ask of this crazy crew!_

_**There are no spoilers in this episode! Nothing that I mentioned in this episode is directly relevant to the story!**_

_Well, that's it for today, and as always; until friday, fare thee well!_

_PS. You know the phrase, "A good laugh makes you live longer"? If that were true, Kitsune would've become immortal during the making of this episode. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that, so let's be satisfied with the fact that he probably has a gorgeous set of abs now! Peace out!_


	102. Set the trap ready!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _To continue the celebration of the 100__th__ episode, I'm gonna start adding songs that inspired me while writing each episode. I'll put the names in the beginning of all upcoming episodes, so if you want, you can go to youtube and listen to what makes my writing so much more entertaining!_

_This episode was inspired by;_

_El Dorado – Two Steps From Hell (main inspiration)_

_Norwegian Pirate – Two Steps From Hell_

_Consortium – GD Music_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and two – Set the trap ready! The Saber Pirates versus Stone Dragon Runuura!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"What would you have me do?" Lance asked of Sherry, who was busy looking around for materials she could use. She motioned for the shipwright to follow her and urged Gorra to take her towards the edge of the arena, as far away from the ongoing battle as possible.

"You think you can cut out boulders from the mountain walls?" she asked when they reached the stone wall. She slid down from Gorra's back and walked up closer to the rocks, tentatively running a hand along the mineral. "We'll need a lot of boulders for my plan, for sure."

Lance nodded in response and raised his trench knives inhaling deeply before taking a step forward and drawing a large cross over the wall. As if it would've been made out of paper, the stone split into four large boulders and tumbled down on top of each other on the ground. "Will these suffice, lady Sherry?" the shipwright asked.

"We're going to need around four times that amount, but the size is perfect," Sherry said and nodded absentmindedly. "I'm going to create large cuffs strong enough to restrain Runuura, for sure, so we'll need to get them out to the middle of the battlefield as well." She paused momentarily to point at the dragon's feet. "It's nearly impossible to tell where exactly Runuura's gonna be standing and when, but we only need to get one shackle ready at the time," she went on. "That means we'll have four chances to position the boulders on a proper location, for sure."

"I am uncertain of how many of these bounders I am able to move at the same time," Lance said and raised his right hand to tentatively push one of the stones forward, humming in content as he found it wasn't impossible for him to move them. "If I do this on my own, I might now get them into position in time."

A soft growl was heard from down by their feet, and Lance looked down to see Vasp standing next to him. The reptile's eyes were focused on Sherry with an almost burning determination, and she giggled as she crouched down to stroke his head. "Vasp will help you, for sure," Sherry said and glanced back up at Lance. "He can roll the boulders, and with his help, you should be able to do as planned just fine."

Lance smiled down at Vasp, who snorted softly in return, but before either could do anything more, a large explosion shook the entire arena. A surprised exclaim escaped the shipwright's lips and he whirled around, a crease appearing on his forehead when his eyes landed on Roa and Ruule, who were both going all out with their explosive projectile. He turned his attention to the dragon, his jaw clenching slightly when he saw Atalaya and Kitsune dashing between Runuura's front legs and towards his left hind.

"Let us hurry, lady Sherry," Lance said and raised his knives again. "I should assist my captain in battle, so if you would kindly inform me where to move the boulders."

"Right." Sherry raised an arm to point out to the middle of the arena. "We'll raise four piles there, for sure," she said. "We'll have to lure Runuura away from the edge of the arena, but let's focus on that later."

When the third large explosion blasted against Runuura's cheek, the dragon finally seemed to have had enough. He inhaled deeply, the cloud of small particles forming in the back of his throat, and without waiting for the smokescreen to clear, he blindly fired a wave of razor sharp gravel and sand straight forward.

Roa's eyes widened when he realized both he and Ruule were standing straight in the line of fire. "Shit," he growled and quickly stashed the arrows he'd been about to fire back into his quiver before shouting, "Move, Ruule!", and sprinting to the right. He ground his teeth together when he felt the artificial sandstorm create several cuts along his entire left side, but he was close enough to the edge of the wave to escape with only minor wounds.

Once out of harm's way, he leaned forward and braced his hands on his knees to stabilize his breathing. "You okay?" he huffed, but the lack of response made him straighten up and look around. "Ruule?"

"Nope." Roa flinched as the voice spoke from straight behind him, and he turned just in time to see the chef change his glasses for the ones with the feathers. "I was able to take over only seconds before the sand hit," Eluur scoffed and brushed his hair back from his eyes. "I can't stay up for long, so if you'll excuse me, I'll go make my time count."

He equipped a feral grin and burst forward, raising both of his guns to take aim at Runuura. "Pistola Corsa," he growled and cocked Beauty, firing shot after shot at the dragon's face, all the while singlehandedly loading deep green bullets into Rosa. "Rosa Petalo Riprese," he added and raised Rosa once he was finished. "Incendio Proiettile!"

The green bullets caught fire the very second they left the gun, making it look like Eluur was firing countless bolts of fire. The toothy grin on his face made Roa shake his head and sigh, but he quickly recovered and raised his bow. "Don't think I'll let you outshine me like that," he grumbled and reached behind his back to withdraw a handful of arrows he had yet gotten a chance to try out. "Special Arrow." He nocked the five arrows and took aim at Runuura's jaw, waiting for the dragon to close his mouth before shouting, "Ice Arrow Storm!", and firing.

The arrows connected with Runuura's chin just as he was about to open his mouth again, and a thick layer of ice quickly spread over his scales, sealing half of his snout in an ice muzzle. The dragon released a muffled shriek and threw his head to the sides in attempt to get rid of the freezing prison, but it was futile. He turned his head around, trying to locate whoever had done this to him, and his eyes practically danced with fury as they landed on the two rangers not far away from him.

Just as Runuura was about to charge straight at the gunners, he changed his mind when he felt a sting, however small, in his right hind leg. He halted his movements and completely ignored the bullets and arrows that constantly struck the scales on his face so he could try and deduce what the feeling had been. The same sting flashed again not moments later, and Runuura released a growl when he realized someone was in the process of climbing up his leg.

Atalaya released a loud exclaim when the dragon suddenly began flailing his lower body, and she almost lost her grip on his scales when she was jarred to the side. "It noticed me, huh?" she grit out and tightened her grip.

She secured her hold and looked to the left, sighing when she realized Runuura hadn't noticed her, but Kitsune. The swordsman was rapidly climbing over the scales, occasionally using Hebi Kotei as support. He'd bury the katana almost all the way to the hilt between the dragon's scales, obviously unaware of the fact it could trigger an alert in the reptile. "Watcha lookin' at, cap'n?" Kitsune jingled when he noticed Atalaya's stare. "Ya better hurry up if ya don't wanna come in second, yeah?"

Slightly irked, Atalaya parted her lips to retort, but quickly changed her mind. She'd challenged Kitsune to properly get him in the mood to go all out, and she ha to see the bet through if she wanted to keep him interested. "Yeah, sure," she huffed and resumed climbing, using her claws to move towards Runuura's back.

Neither of them dared to let go of their grip even after they reached the point where they could've stood up straight. Runuura's persistent flailing made it seem like they'd be standing on a roller coaster, threatening to throw them off at any second.

A few moments passed before Atalaya bared her teeth in a smug grin and lowered herself to fully transform into a sabertooth tiger. "Race to the finish," she growled before she burst forward, her increase in weight and balance making it easier to move over the uneven footing.

"That ain't fair, cap'n," Kitsune sighed and raised Hebi Kotei. He focused on one of the spikes that stood up on Runuura's back and loudly sang, "Fox Dance.". He burst off the scales and towards the spike, but just before he reached it, he lowered his sword and angled his body so his feet connected with the edge of the spike instead. Without reducing his speed at all, he moved to the opposite side of the spike and pushed off again, the speed of his charge sending him flying back down towards the scales as if shot out of a cannon.

Kitsune landed on the scales right next to Atalaya, who released an exhilarated chortle as they were now rushing side by side towards Runuura's neck. They flew over the scales like two bullets, and when their target came into vision, Atalaya growled in triumph. "I'll deal the first hit," she called and sped up.

"I ain't gonna give that up that easily, _sweetheart_." Before she could get very far, Kitsune reached out and grabbed hold of Atalaya's tail. She exclaimed in surprise and momentarily lost her concentration as she turned her head to glare at Kitsune, completely failing to see the dent in one of the scales in front of her. Her right front paw caught on the bump and she tripped and fell, biting her tongue as she slammed into the rough scales.

Irritation and anger bubbled up inside of her when she assumed her hybrid form and stood up."What the hell was that, Kitsune?!" she shouted, her frustration growing when she saw the swordsman was only a few feet away from Runuura's neck. "You cheated!"

"I ain't a fair player, cap'n," Kitsune cajoled and slowed down to walk the last few steps. "But as a pirate, what's ta be expected of me?" He raised Hebi Kotei to prepare to strike, but before he could even get the chance to choose which attack to use, Runuura released an ear-shattering shriek and his body quaked as he spread his wings out to the sides.

"Don't tell me..!" Atalaya quickly moved up next to Kitsune and looked down past the crook of Runuura's neck. He had widened his stance and lowered his body to the ground, obviously preparing for something. "Oh, we're in deep waters now," Atalaya grit out and crouched down to secure a grip on the scales in front of her. "It's gonna go flying!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Pistola Corsa – Gun Rush_

_Rosa Petalo Riprese – Rose Petal Shooting_

_Incendio Proiettile – Fire Bullet_

_So the talk show was a big success, and I'm really happy about that! The next "special" Race event will be the movie, Prince of Skypiea, which will be released in september, along with episode 126. Look forward to it!_

_Have a nice weekend, and until monday, fare thee well!_


	103. Dangerous flight!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Inspirations for this episode;_

_Immortal Guardians – Dang Tuan Phong_

_Down to One Engine – Empire Syndicate_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and three – Dangerous flight! Break the unbreakable defense!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Both Roa and Eluur had to back away when Runuura started flapping his wings, the gusts of air making the sandstorm more intense than anything they'd come across so far. The dragon crouched down, his eyes focusing on the sky above the sand clouds before he pounced straight off the ground, taking air as if he'd been as light as a feather.

"We have to get it down from the air!" Roa had to shout to be heard over the howling wind. "Atalaya and fox face are both up there!" he yelled and nocked one of his few regular arrows. He pulled back the bow's string as far as it went, and once the arrowhead rested right next to the grip, he pushed down his index finger onto the handle, triggering a small hidden switch. A hatch opened up next to the arrowhead and a few drops of a light green liquid flowed onto it.

"We're way beyond not hurting the dragon anymore," he grit out and pulled the arrow back as far as it went as he took aim on the moving dragon's right wing. "Poison Arrow... Crippling Shot!" Roa released the arrow, and it burst upwards as if shot out of a cannon. It flew through the sandstorm without getting even a little thrown off course, but the very second the arrowhead connected with Runuura's wing, it shattered.

"Bullets have no effect either," Eluur said, sounding more disappointed than concerned. "And I think Ruule's about to resurface. No dragon, no threat." He sighed dramatically before quickly pushing both guns into their holsters and switching to the normal glasses. "Tell him he blacked out for a second," Eluur said and let himself fall backwards, showing no signs of pain as he smacked the back of his head against the ground.

Slightly at loss for what to do, Roa lowered his bow and crouched down next to the chef. "You still there?" he asked and reached out to grab hold of his shoulder, but before he got the chance, the chef sat up straight so fast they banged their foreheads together.

"Shit!" Roa growled and staggered backwards, his free hand flying up to rub his throbbing brow. "You okay, Ruule?"

The chef blinked rapidly, a slightly confused expression on his face as he looked around. "Si," Ruule said slowly. "Did I... did I have another attack?"

"You blacked out." The archer leaned forward and pulled him to his feet. "You were out for about a minute or so," Roa went on and tilted his head back to nod towards what little of Runuura they could still see. "We have to get the dragon down. Any ideas?"

Ruule parted his lips to answer, but before he could say anything, he felt a presence behind him and turned around to find himself face to face with Lance. "There is nothing either of us can do to help the captain and Kitsune at the moment," the shipwright said and motioned for the two to follow him. "Lady Sherry says she has an idea, so come with me right away."

Although somewhat overthrown, Roa instantly strapped his bow over his shoulder and followed after Lance, keeping his arms up to shield his eyes from the violent sandstorm. He opened his mouth to ask what they were going to do, but his words were quickly pushed back down his throat when grovels of sand flew past his parted lips and triggered a violent coughing attack. "Shit, this is annoying," he growled and spat out a few grains of sand.

"Would you mind your language, charlatan?" Lance snapped and looked over his shoulder to send the archer a cold glare. "We are in the presence of a lady!"

"I don't see a-"

"Oh, there you are!"

Ruule arched an eyebrow in mild curiosity when he saw Sherry standing next to an enormous pile of large boulders. "What are those for?" he asked.

"Those will be Runuura's restraints, for sure," Sherry said and tapped her hand against one of the rocks. "I need you three to get them in position as fast as possible now that the emperor isn't here to see what we're doing." She explained the rest of her plan to the chef and Roa, who was quick to spot an error in the following events.

"How are you planning on getting Runuura to land?" he asked and raised a hand to point at the sky. "Our captain and fox face are up there with the dragon, so we can't safely use brutal force. And to get him to land right where we want him to..."

Sherry shook her head as if to get rid of the archer's words. "That's the part Luna will take care of," she said cheerfully and patted the small dinosaur on her shoulder. "Luna will fly up there and lure Runuura to follow her, for sure, and then she'll lead him straight towards the shackles."

The skeptical silence that followed her words lasted for ten whole seconds before Luna released an offended screech and burred up her feathers. "Will that little bird be able to avoid being eaten?" Ruule asked and tilted his head to the side as he observed the small creature. "Runuura might have an appetite for little birds..."

Sherry snorted and nodded towards the archer. "Luna's main ability is her speed, for sure," she said. "Her body is small, but she manages to keep up with Gorra when he runs as fast as he can, and compared to that, this shouldn't be too hard at all."

The small dinosaur emitted a determined caw and spread her wings, flapping them a few times before pushing off Sherry's shoulder and flying up towards Runuura.

On the dragon's back, Atalaya and Kitsune were clutching onto the scales for dear life. Runuura's flight was purely intended to throw them off, and he spared no energy in completing the task. He propelled, threw his head to the sides, he let himself fall towards the ground, recovering just before he would've crashed and shooting upwards again.

"This is crazy!" Atalaya yelled, the howling of the sandstorm drowning her voice. "We can't do anything as long as he keeps flying like this!"

"I know yer just gonna say no again," Kitsune said loudly. "But I could cut off one of big beasty's wings. Then he couldn't keep on flyin', right?"

"I already said, no... deal..." Atalaya's voice trailed off when Runuura suddenly stopped all movements apart from the flapping of his wings. He growled in dismay, the sound making the scales underneath Atalaya's hands vibrate. "What's he doing..?" she mumbled, and her question was answered when she spotted Luna, flying in circles around the dragon's eyes. "What-"

"Perfect." Kitsune stood up straight next to her and quickly unsheathed Hebi Kotei. "I won the race, so the first hit's on me, yeah?" he asked, and without waiting for an answer, he raised his katana. "Executioner Technique." All thought of stopping the swordsman gone, Atalaya only watched with rising curiosity as this was a technique she hadn't seen before. "Fox Dance Guillotine!"

The sound emitted from the contact of Hebi Kotei's blade and Runuura's scales was loud as cannon fire, and Atalaya's eyes widened when she saw hundreds of bright red sparks burst off the scales where the sword had connected. Kitsune halted barely in time to not fall down from the dragon's back, and his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline when he saw the blade of his katana was glowing slightly, a slight red-ish hue.

Both him and Atalaya were even more surprised to see the scales on Runuura's neck were completely intact, barely even scratched. Neither one said anything, and after exchanging a quick, confused glance with each other, Atalaya straightened up and braced both of her arms for an attack. She inhaled deeply a few times before growling, "Twin Claw Gun!", and striking the scales.

Atalaya hissed as warmth spread through her claws and sent a burning sensation into her fingers. Once again, a rain of sparks were whipped up upon the impact, but no additional damage had been dealt to the scales.

"This can't-" Atalaya bit her tongue when gravity suddenly shifted beneath her feet. Luna had decided to taunt Runuura into a steep dive towards the arena of Mokin Mountain, and the dragon was more than eager to follow. He leaned forward to begin the vertical drop, and Atalaya would've been thrown off had she not grabbed hold of Kitsune. The swordsman had instantly stuck Hebi Kotei into the scales as best he could, and he let escape a mock whine of discomfort when Atalaya clutched onto his shoulder.

"Tryin' ta tear my arm off, are ya, cap'n?" he said loudly, widening his stance so he could support both his and Atalaya's weight. "What are ya gonna do 'bout big beasty's neck? It ain't gonna break so easily."

Atalaya secured her feet on against the scales and lowered herself into a crouching position before responding. "I have no idea what to do," she said. "I didn't expect the scales to be so-" She froze in mid-sentence, her mind replaying a conversation she'd shared with Sherry not days ago.

_"Your strength is almost as powerful as my Haki."_

"Haki..." Atalaya mumbled and stared down at her hands, but she didn't have much time to worry about her abilities as Runuura was now rapidly descending, the strong sandstorm pushing against him and his passengers. "Alright," Atalaya growled and braced her hands. "We'll just have to hit the scales until they open!"

"Ya sure that's gonna-"

"Twin Claw Gun!" Atalaya ignored Kitsune's words and struck the scales again, hissing as the sparks burst forward and the friction once again burned her fingers. "Twin Claw Gun!" Again and again she hit the scales, her arms barely even keeping up with the rapidly increasing tempo of her words. Instead of joining her in trying to damage the unbreakable scales, Kitsune simply stood behind her, lining Hebi Kotei's sheath up along her back to keep the wind from throwing her backwards.

"Twin Claw..!"

Atalaya ground her teeth together as she now struck the scales freely, the words of her attack not even nearly in rhythm with her hits. The even tempo of her arms were completely off, and she struck the scales first with her right hand, then the left. The uneven hits sounded like a series of gunshots, fired with no interruption, and as the burning sensation in Atalaya's fingers steadily started to intensify, a loud exclaim escaped her lips as she parted them to shout, "Twin Claw Machine Gun!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Ooh, ooh, new attack from Atalaya! Wonder if she can damage Runuura with this one..?_

_Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	104. Shattered scales!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Inspirations for this episode;_

_Firewall(instrumental) – Les Friction_

_Lone Deer – Marian Wagner_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and four - Shattered scales! Down on the ground again!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Seemingly completely oblivious to what was happening to his neck, Runuura kept diving, closing in on the mountain with the speed of a missile. His teeth were bared as he made several attempts to snatch Luna, who was dropping at equal speed, her tiny size making it possible to vanish in and out of the dragon's line of sight, the act only serving to tantalize Runuura.

A steadily building roar rose from Atalaya's throat as she kept increasing the speed and strength of her strikes, the thousands of sparks from the impacts almost blinding her. The burning in her fingers no longer made her flinch as the repeated attacks had made her hands go completely numb. "Cap'n, I ain't meanin' ta rush ya," Kitsune said loudly. "But we're 'bout five seconds from hittin' the ground."

Without interrupting her hits, Atalaya lifted her head so she could focus on what waited in front of them, and her eyes widened when she saw what Kitsune said was very much true. And not only was it true, but the speed at which Runuura was flying would spell an extremely risky landing, both for the dragon and for its passengers. "Brace yourself for the landing, Kitsune!" she shouted and turned her eyes back to the dragon's neck, panic adding to her frequent strikes. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, _break already_!"

Just in time with her last words, Runuura's feet connected with the arena. The violent crash occurred at the exact same time as Atalaya struck his neck again, and the added impact and shift in gravity made her hands connect with the scales with much more strength. Atalaya was jarred forward just as she had struck the scales, but nothing but a feral laughter left her lips as she saw the scales shatter, opening up a wide gash on the dragon's neck.

She landed painfully on her side on Runuura's shoulder, and she had no time to recover before the dragon threw his head back and released a horrible screech as pain suddenly exploded from his neck. "This is bad," Atalaya grit out as she struggled to keep her place on the dragon's shoulder with only one hand while the other clutched at her ribs. "If he keeps doing this..!"

"Lock Lock Giant Handcuff!"

Atalaya's eyes widened and she twisted her head to glance at the ground, and a wide grin flashed on her lips when she saw Runuura's right foot had been sealed in what looked like enormous shackles made out of ten feet thick rock. She ground her teeth together and rose into a crouching position, an exhilarated chortle escaping her lips as she spotted Sherry and Gorra, the raptor in process of dashing around Runuura while Sherry used her ability to form the handcuffs around the dragon's legs.

"Kitsune!" Atalaya staggered to her feet and quickly moved back to Runuura's neck. Kitsune had successfully avoided being thrown off his back by forcing Hebi Kotei through one of the spikes standing up from the dragon's back and holding onto the hilt. "We need to sedate him now," Atalaya said when she reached him, grabbing hold of the spike as well to not get thrown off a steadily flailing Runuura. "I don't think those shackles can last forever, so we need to move fast!"

"I hear ya, cap'n, but there' a li'l problem." Kitsune's wide and gleeful smirk made a heavy feeling set into Atalaya's stomach. "I dropped the sedative when big beasty hit the ground," the swordsman jingled, a carefree chortle rolling past his lips when Atalaya growled in stress.

"Why do you have to- _Sherry_!" Atalaya released her grip and transformed into the sabertooth tiger to increase her balance as she dashed over to Runuura's shoulder. "Sherry!" she shouted again, morphing into a hybrid and cupping her hands around her mouth to increase the volume. Atalaya waited until Sherry turned her face in her direction, a questioning expression on her face. "Kitsune dropped the sedative! You have to find it and bring it up here, quickly!"

Sherry raised her hand to do a thumb-up before urging Gorra to move faster, and the two of them started moving along Runuura's left side. Gorra moved in a serpentine pattern to expand their range, and it wasn't long before Sherry's delighted voice reached Atalaya's ears. "I found it, pirate king!"

Before Atalaya even could consider a gesture of relief and satisfaction, a current of razor-sharp gravel and small particles blasted from Runuura's mouth. The dragon slowly turned his head towards Sherry, the wave of sand instantly following the change of direction. Gorra sprang into action, practically flying over the ground and towards Runuura's hind legs. They were cuffed to the ground and would provide a perfect path up, but Sherry grit her teeth in horror when she realized she hadn't tied down the dragon's tail.

"Okay, Gorra, I need you to keep going straight!" she shouted when she saw Runuura raise the spiked limb to slam it over her and the raptor. "Keep going straight and ignore the tail!"

The raptor screeched in determination and sped up, lowering himself closer to the ground to reduce the resistance of the wind. Sherry dared a peek over her shoulder and swallowed thickly when she saw the current of sand was gaining on them. "Just a little faster, for sure," she hissed and clutched the pouch of sedatives to her chest. "Run just a little bit faster, Gorra!"

Atalaya watched as if in slow motion how Runuura's tail started dropping, the spikes quickly drawing closer to Sherry and Gorra. The two charged straight underneath the tail, and Atalaya's breath hitched in her throat when time returned to normal and the tail slammed into the ground. With her heart thundering in her ears, she stared down at the scene, not even noticing when Runuura finally interrupted the current of gravel.

"Ya think they're alive?" Kitsune asked with the tone of someone speaking of the weather. "I'm guessin' they got flattened."

"Shh!" Atalaya's eyes focused on Runuura's tail, not daring to even blink as she searched for a sign of life from the two.

Five electrically charged seconds passed before Gorra appeared on the base of Runuura's tail, Sherry pressed flat against the raptor's back. A wave of relief washed over Atalaya and she let all of her ability vanish as she rushed down to meet them. "Do you still have the sedatives?" she asked when Sherry slid down from Gorra's back, both of them breathing heavily.

"Right here, pirate king," she said and showed her the pouch. "Did you open up a wound on his neck already?"

"Yeah, it's not too big, but it should be enough." Atalaya grabbed hold of Sherry's arm and tugged her along towards Runuura's neck, where the gash was located. "Give Kitsune the sedative and we'll get this over with," she said and nodded towards the swordsman, who raised a hand to accept the powder.

"Actually..." Sherry glanced at Atalaya with almost pleading eyes. "If it's okay, can I do it?" she asked. "I want to, for sure, for my brother's sake. Please."

"Oh." Somewhat surprised, Atalaya nodded and backed away so she stood next to Kitsune, who sighed dramatically at the loss of getting to put a dragon to sleep. "Of course," she said and offered Sherry a reassuring smile. "Make sure to pour everything in."

"Actually, pirate king, I had something else in mind."

Atalaya's eyebrows knitted together at the sudden change in Sherry's tone, but before she got the chance to ask, Sherry snapped her fingers and Gorra appeared in front of Kitsune and Atalaya, a menacing gleam in his eyes. "What the-" The raptor spun around once, slamming his tail into their ribs and knocking them off their feet, sending them tumbling down Runuura's side and crashing into the ground.

Completely thrown off guard, Atalaya ignored the pain in her already damaged side and jumped to her feet. "What do you think you're doing, Sherry?!" she shouted and threw her arms out to the sides. "Sedate him already!"

Sherry released a loud, cold laughter at the stress in her words and bounced the pouch of sedatives up and down in her hand. "I don't think so," she said loudly, her tone completely changed from the usual cheerful one into a dark sneer. "From the start, I didn't come here to _calm_ Runuura, I came to kill him!" She opened the pouch and turned it upside down, giggling as she watched the white powder flow out of the sack and get carried away by the sandstorm.

"What the hell-"

Atalaya's words stacked in her throat as Sherry walked up to Gorra and grabbed hold of a long sword she'd hidden beneath his saddle. She unsheathed it and held it up high, a toothy grin on her face as she loudly declared, "And thus the emperor falls!", and drove the entire blade straight into the open gash.

Runuura released a long and outdrawn shriek of pain, and Atalaya watched with eyes wide in horror as his body started trembling, flinching against his restraints as Sherry pressed the blade as deep as it could go, her smile turning wider and more maniacal for every inch the sword sank.

A few seconds of complete chaos passed before Runuura halted all of his movements. As if time had frozen, he was perfectly still for a moment before his body went flaccid and his head slammed into the ground, his lifeless orange eyes staring up into the dark sky.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _Dun dun duuun!_

… _wait. What just happened? What's going on?! How long do I have to wait to read the continuation?! What is this?!_

_Enjoy these two days of waiting, and as always, until friday, fare thee well!_


	105. Betrayal!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Inspirations for this episode;_

_Dark Avenger – Bruton Music_

_Altered States – Brand X Music_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and five – Betrayal! Sherry's plot unveiled!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya stood rooted to the spot, completely petrified as she watched Sherry pull the sword out of Runuura's neck, a wide grin on her lips. She stared down at the gash on the dragon's neck, extreme satisfaction dancing over her face. Gorra stood next to her, the reptile's eyes constantly focused on Atalaya and Kitsune. His teeth were bared in a threatening manner, clearly a warning that taking a step closer would have severe consequences.

After a few seconds of deafening silence, Atalaya swallowed thickly as she finally found her voice again. "You told us you were fine with just putting Runuura to sleep," she said loudly, unable to keep an accusing undertone away from her voice. "I know you wanted to avenge your brother, but-"

"Oh, come on, pirate king," Sherry snorted and shook her head at Atalaya's ignorance. "Try to see the big picture here! You still think this was about what _I_ felt towards Runuura? Are you _really_ that dull?"

"What're you-"

Kitsune raised a hand to interrupt Atalaya, a cold smirk gracing his lips under the glare she sent him. "Correct me if I ain't right," he said with a light, careless tone as he addressed Sherry. "But yer _brother_ never really existed, yeah? He was just a part of a li'l facade."

"Pretty much," Sherry said and rolled her shoulders. "It seemed like a good enough cover." She waved around the sword, humming as it clicked against the dragon's scales now and then. "And it came so naturally, too," she added and smiled at her own cleverness. "The story of his death just appeared in my mind as if I'd rehearsed it many times. I surprised myself with the details I came up with during... during the time _you_ were with me." She nodded towards Atalaya, who released an aggravated snarl.

"So this whole thing was set up from the start?" she shouted, a heated anger quickly rising through her veins. "Using us to get what you want?!"

Sherry clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You were never part of my plan, pirate king," she said. "And you don't have to sound so accusing. I'm not such a bad person you think I am. I saved your life, didn't I?"

A thick silence settled between them. Kitsune looked at Atalaya with eyebrows arched in curiosity while Atalaya ground her teeth together as Sherry's words made her anger involuntarily die down, and Sherry took the opportunity to keep talking.

"Me saving you from that lake was never part of my plan," she sighed. "And then one thing lead to another, and suddenly you were sitting in my camp, telling me about your crew. I saw you were strong enough to defeat Runuura, so I let you believe I was after revenge. Of course, it didn't take long for me to realize you'd have helped me either way, to repay me for saving your life..." Sherry equipped what she must've thought of as a kind smile, although to Atalaya, it looked more like a spiteful sneer. "You're not what one would expect a pirate to be," she said.

"So why did ya wanna kill big beasty, if not fer revenge?" Kitsune asked. He was following the scene with mild interest, apparently not at all bothered by Sherry's actions. "I mean, ya gotta have a reason fer doin' it, right? 'S hard ta believe someone wants ta kill a dragon just fer the fun of it."

"Right you are." Sherry slid down from Runuura's back and landed in front of the two. Atalaya instantly widened her stance and braced herself for an incoming attack, but Sherry only smiled coldly and motioned for them to follow her. A few seconds of hesitation passed before Atalaya nodded at Kitsune and stepped after the woman, making sure to keep a safe distance.

They walked around Runuura's body and towards the far east end of the arena, where a pile of boulders Atalaya hadn't noticed before lay waiting. The stones were neatly stacked on top of each other right in front of the rocky wall, making the creation seem more like an altar than just a random pile.

"It should be right here..." Sherry crouched down and carefully started tugging at the largest rock that was positioned furthest down and in the middle. As slowly as she could, she pulled it out, and the very second she'd freed it, she emitted an exhilarated laughter and reached inside the pile, and Atalaya's eyes widened when Sherry stood up straight and turned around, a large oval-shaped object in her arms.

Not even Kitsune seemed to be able to contain his curiosity when he got a good look at what the object was. "Ain't that a-"

"It's a dragon's egg!" Sherry practically squealed in excitement and hugged the egg as close to her body as possible. "See, I snooped around a little when I got to this island," she informed them. "And I found out emperor Runuura actually was emp_ress_ Runuura, a female, and the reason for her berserk was the fact that she was so keen on protecting this." The egg was colored a dark green with several splotches of yellow, and about the same size as a human head.

"Ah, I've been searching for this for _ages_!" Sherry said, suddenly oblivious to everything else around her. "Oh, imagine how much they will pay for this..."

"Pay?" Atalaya's left ear twitched at the word, and a rush of goosebumps broke out on her arms as realization slowly dawned on her. "You... you're gonna sell that egg?" she asked, shocked, bringing Sherry back from her daydreaming. "You killed that egg's mother just so you could _sell_ it?"

Sherry scoffed and carefully lay down the egg onto the ground. "So what if I did?" she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm a Forrester, a hunter! I hunt rare creatures and sell what I get from them on the market. Fur, scales, claws, teeth, _eggs_... Big shots all over the world _love_ to keep rare creatures as pets, so I make a living out of selling to them. A king or a Tenryuubito would pay tens, no, _hundreds_ of millions for this!"

The anger in Atalaya's veins quickly jolted back to life. "I'm not gonna let you sell that egg," she growled and took a step closer. "I paid off my debt to you by helping you take down Runuura, so now, you're just a nasty woman who tricked and used me! Used _us_!"

A wide smile stretched on Sherry's lips, and before either Kitsune or Atalaya had a chance to act, she raised her right hand to her mouth and whistled, a high-pitched tone that made Atalaya's ears curl in discomfort. "Lock Lock Bodyguard!" she yelled, and the ground around the egg came to life and quickly sealed the object inside a thick stone prison.

"I think I said this once before, pirate king..." Gorra darted past Atalaya and halted behind Sherry to let her climb up onto the saddle on his back. "But I feel like I have to repeat myself," she said darkly and threw a spiteful glance at Atalaya. "I'm really impressed you don't seem at all worried about the rest of your crew."

Five seconds of complete silence passed before Sherry's words took form in Atalaya's mind. Her jaw dropped in mortification, and her hands subconsciously clenched into fists as she took a step forward. "What did you do to them?" she snarled, her enlarged fangs pressing into her chin as she ground her teeth together. "Where are they?!"

Sherry released a bubbling laughter and raised a hand to point to the opposite side of the arena, and Atalaya instantly whirled around to follow her finger. Her eyes widened when she saw Roa, Lance and Ruule sitting at the very edge of the arena, each of them tied up in several of Sherry's ropes. All of them were gagged, but the muzzles were merely for decoration as the three were all unconscious.

If they would lean back or be pushed, they would fall over the edge and drop down Mokin Mountain, straight into the countless nests of Sky Kings. Dark bruises decorated their temples and arms, and Lance had a deep gash on the side of his neck. Roa's right arm was bleeding as if he'd been bit by a lion.

Vasp was walking back and forth in front of them, patrolling to make sure no one would reach the prisoners until Sherry decided what to do with them. Luna was sitting on his back, bouncing up and down in time with his steps.

"What did you do?" Atalaya growled when she turned back to face Sherry. "Why are they injured?!"

"I had to bind them," Sherry said as if it would be the most obvious thing in the world. "I couldn't hope to kill Runuura with two active rangers, so I started with Ruule, who was too much of an airhead to even notice he was in danger. Gorra knocked him unconscious. When I tried to bind Roa, the archer resisted and fired a toxic arrow at me, so Gorra bit his arm. You should be thankful I let him keep his limb," she added and nodded at Atalaya, who was practically brimming with fury at this point.

"That's when Lance noticed what I was doing," Sherry went on, a sigh gusting past her pouting lips. "He was still fighting me and Gorra when Runuura landed, but Luna flew straight towards him and cut his neck like that." She released a bark of laughter. "And in his distraction, I bound him as well. But I didn't kill them," she said. "So they owe me their lives, really."

Atalaya clenched her hands so hard her nails dug into her skin, creating small puncture wounds in her palms. "You..." Her voice was more feral than human, and Gorra growled in return when he heard the threatening tone. "Go free them, Kitsune," Atalaya snarled and slowly lowered herself to the ground, bracing her claw-equipped hands flat to the rocky flooring. "I'm so angry right now I don't know if I'll be able to tell friend from foe when I let loose!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Ooooh, no, you don't wanna piss off a sabertooth tiger like this, girl! No, no, no, you stupid! /snaps fingers._

_That'll leave you hanging for the weekend, no? Until monday, fare thee well!_


	106. Atalaya versus Sherry!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Inspirations for this episode;_

_Way of Knight – Kyueko_

_Nemausos – Kyueko_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and six – Atalaya versus Sherry! A test of speed and strength!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Kitsune sighed, more in disappointment than anything else, but he did what he was told. After offering Sherry a lopsided smirk, he turned on the heel and sprinted towards the eastern edge of the arena, his sword unsheathed as he prepared to slay the two other dinosaurs.

"You're gonna regret everything," Atalaya growled, fur growing out over her body as her transformation slowly but surely spread through her, destabilized due to her rage. "I'm gonna make sure you regret ever lying to me and laying a hand on my friends!"

A loud bark of laughter bubbled past Sherry's lips as she unsheathed the sword in Gorra's saddle. "You can give it your best shot, pirate king," she giggled. "But first, I have to stop your first mate from hurting _my_ friends. Go, Gorra!"

She dug her heels into Gorra's sides, and the raptor released a loud shriek before jumping straight over Atalaya and bursting off towards Kitsune, Sherry's sword raised and ready to cut.

"I don't think so!" Atalaya set off after her, fully morphing into the sabertooth tiger as she practically flew over the arena. "Don't think you're faster than me," she growled, her lips curling back in unsatisfied triumph as she gained only slightly on the moving raptor. "C'mon, _faster_!"

Her eyes widened when she glanced past her target and saw Gorra was rapidly closing in on Kitsune, who was seemingly completely unaware to the approaching danger. "Behind you, Kitsune!" Atalaya shouted, a slight feeling of panic sparking in her chest when the swordsman only looked over his shoulder, an expression of mild surprise on his face.

Instead of stepping away from the line of fire, Kitsune sighed and unsheathed Hebi Kotei, a somewhat bored expression settling over his features. "A-ah, if only the cap'n hadn't decided ta deal with ya..." he sighed and rested his katana's edge to the ground. "I could cut ya up in an instant." Without even looking at Sherry, he spun around on the heel once, and the blade whipped up a large cloud of sand from the ground, adding to the already raging sandstorm and concealing him from onlookers.

Atalaya quipped a feral grin when she heard Sherry curse as her prey had vanished. Still, she extended her blade to the side as Gorra dashed past the cloud, growling in frustration as she only cut through the air. "Fine," she hissed. "I'll just throw the others down the mountain instead!"

A cold shiver ran down Atalaya's spine as her sensitive ears heard Sherry's words as if the woman would've spoken straight into her ear. "I won't let you..!" She ground her teeth together and burst off the ground, a feral snarl rolling past her lips as she flew in a high bow over the moving raptor. "I won't let you touch my crew again!" she roared as she landed on all four a few yards in front of Gorra, not giving the raptor any time to slow down or turn before lunging forward again and burying her fangs into the reptile's throat.

The impact of the collision jarred Atalaya's body to the side before she could get a firm grip on Gorra's scales. Her enlarged teeth, buried halfway into the raptor's skin, slid along his neck as she was pushed aside, creating two long parallel gashes on the side of Gorra's throat.

Atalaya crashed into the ground and tumbled a good fifteen feet, instantly jumping back to her feet when she managed to break the skid. She spat out a mouthful of blood and widened her stance as Gorra had stopped running towards the rest of the Saber Pirates and finally placed his full attention on her. "Do you think Gorra will go down by a tiny scratch like this?" Sherry asked, her dark eyes flaring with rage as she raised her blade to point at Atalaya. "Looks like you'll be the first to go, pirate king!"

Before she could even urge Gorra to pick up his speed, Atalaya had set off, dashing along the edge to the far north side of the arena. She ran fast enough to keep the raptor's interest, keen on leading him away from her comrades and Kitsune.

Her breathing was growing more and more labored, having getting no rest since the battle against Runuura had started. She didn't realize she'd slowed down until Gorra and Sherry appeared right next to her, the sword in Sherry's hand flying towards her neck. A curse rolled past Atalaya's lips and she quickly changed directions, skidding along the ground as she sharply turned to the left, shivering as she felt the very edge of Sherry's blade cut off a few strands of her fur on her back.

Atalaya's eyes narrowed when she saw a long trail of blood following after Gorra on the ground. The reptile was as fast as ever, but there was no way he could keep up with the constant blood loss for much longer. So Atalaya propelled into full speed once more, and the raptor instantly sped up as well, the thought of losing to a rival predator not an option. They raced towards the northern edge, both of them motivated more of the primal urge to prove their species' worth rather than killing each other.

When Atalaya was only a few yards from the northernmost edge, she dug her claws into the ground and skidded to a halt, her fangs bared as she turned around to greet Gorra. Sherry released a triumphant laugh and braced her sword, but when they were only a few yards away from Atalaya, Gorra stumbled over his own feet and fell forward.

"Gorr-?!"

Before the raptor crashed into the ground, Atalaya burst forward and released a feral growl as her teeth locked around the blunt edge of Sherry's sword. She sent the woman a smoldering glare, thoroughly enjoying the squeaky sound that escaped Sherry's lips as she clenched her jaw and broke the sword.

While Atalaya landed gracefully on all four, the impact of Gorra's fall jarred Sherry off his back and she exclaimed in pain as she tumbled into the ground. Atalaya released a few sharp exhales before taking her hybrid form, leaning forward and bracing her hands on her knees as she used Sherry's state as an opportunity to stabilize her breathing.

"Gorra..." Sherry crawled over to the reptile, who lay on the ground not far from her, barely breathing. Blood cakes his blue scales, creating an almost nauseating contrast between the two colors. "Thanks for everything, partner," Sherry mumbled and quickly traced her right hand over the raptor's snout before standing up, her expression instantly hardening.

"Shoot the horse before the rider," she said loudly and widened her stance, a crooked smile appearing on her lips at Atalaya's confused expression. "You're wondering how it's possible I'm not more upset about Gorra's death." She emitted a dark chuckle and raised his arms. "There's no need for me to scream or cry," she said. "He's about to be revenged in only a few seconds."

She sprang forward, pulling out a small dagger from underneath her shirt, and Atalaya barely had time enough to react before the blade came flying towards her throat. She growled as she bent backwards as far as her spine permitted, the blade passing barely an inch above her chin. With her arms braced, she sprung back up and aimed her claws at Sherry, who quickly raised her knife to protect her face.

An odd sensation passed through Atalaya's body when her claws connected with the blade. As if the dagger would've been made of rubber, it bounced her arms back and away from Sherry, who smiled widely at Atalaya's shocked expression. "Defense," she chirped and swung the knife again, releasing a triumphant chortle as the blade sank into Atalaya's left shoulder.

Searing pain spread like fire through Atalaya's body, and she ground her teeth together to not cry out in pain. Instead, she grabbed hold of the hand holding the dagger and pushed her claws through the skin as she angled her body to aim a kick at Sherry's ribs.

Sherry didn't have time to fully dodge, and a muffled exclaim gusted past her lips as her left shoulder blade took the hit. She quickly untangled her hand from Atalaya's grip, pulling out the knife in the process. "So I _can_ hit you," Atalaya snarled and backed away a few steps, her right hand pressing down on her shoulder. "I thought all my hits would bounce off you like the first one."

The menacing grin that flashed on Sherry's face sent a cold shiver down Atalaya's spine, but before she could even take one step to the side, Sherry flicked the knife onto the ground and clapped her hands together. "Lock Lock Stone Statue!" she yelled, and a curse erupted from Atalaya's throat as the ground beneath her feet started moving.

Just as she thought she would lose her balance, two poles formed out of the stone and shoot up out of the ground to capture Atalaya's hands. She hissed as they pulled as far to the sides as possible, making her stand as if crucified. "Bastard!" she growled and braced her legs to kick at the poles, but her jaw dropped when she realized a spiral of stone circled her legs and all the way up to her waist, locking her in full restraint.

"You look so vulnerable, pirate king," Sherry cajoled and dropped her knife to the ground. "Your shoulder must be hurting..." She leaned forward and none too gently slapped the gash, the morbid action extracting a hoarse growl from Atalaya. "Hmm, your upper body is in quite an uncomfortable position, huh," the woman went on, studying Atalaya's appearance like an artist studying her work. "Well, it's good enough. For me."

Sherry braced her right arm and widened her stance, sending Atalaya a dark glare before closing her eyes, and Atalaya's body went rigid when she realized exactly what the woman was about to do. "Haki..!" The image of the large stone shattering from one of Sherry's punches was suddenly burned into her vision, and she started struggling against her restraints, growling as she couldn't move her arms but a few inches.

She froze when Sherry's eyes flew open and the woman released a shout, and time seemed to slow down as Atalaya watched her fist descend onto her stomach, and her vision went completely blank as everything from her chest and down felt like it was being torn apart.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Oh, crap. That is all._

_Until wednesday, fare thee well._


	107. Fight with your life on the line!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Inspirations for this episode;_

_War Cry – West One Music (suggested for the beginning of this episode)_

_Seeker of the Prophecy – Fired Earth Music_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and seven - Fight with your life on the line! Danger of a blinded beast!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Atalaya swallowed repeatedly in a desperate attempt to get her lungs to work again. She gasped as no air agreed to travel down her airways, and she parted her squeezed shut eyelids to visually confirm that her lower body was still intact.

It was the first time she'd experienced a physical pain so intense. As if currents of air had flown past her clothes and her skin and into her insides, where they had exploded with the force of several small bombs. Several layers of fibers had been blasted away from her jacket, and she cloud've sworn her skin was smoldering.

A sharp pain in her scalp made her squeeze her eyes shut again and snap back to reality. Her head was pulled backwards by her hair, and somehow, the position miraculously making air race into her lungs, and the relief triggered a violent series of coughs.

"Oh my, you're still alive."

With much effort, Atalaya managed to crack open her left eye and glare down at Sherry, who was grinning widely although slightly out of breath. "A direct hit of Haki into an unprotected stomach..." She shivered at the mere thought. "You really are strong, pirate king," she chirped and released Atalaya's hair, backing away a few steps. She tilted her head to the right and a slight crease appeared on her forehead.

"You know, I really hoped we could've gotten along," she sighed. "I really liked you, and we could've made a great team of Forresters together." She shook her head and before suddenly stepping forward and punching Atalaya in the gut again. Even without Haki, her stomach was now fragile enough to quiver even at the touch of a feather, but she still managed to turn her pained exclaim into a feral snarl.

The smile on Sherry's lips grew wider at this reaction. "You know, you're the first one who didn't pass out at the first punch," she said.

"The-" A vile taste in the back of her mouth made Atalaya interrupt her words to cough a few times. "I'm the... first..?" she managed to grit out.

"Yeah." Sherry nodded, an absentminded expression on her face. "I've trained my Haki on several villagers as well," she said. "Washi Sanctuary sent out their warriors every now and then, to secure their surroundings, and it was so easy for me to snatch up one of them. I'd bind them at the base of the mountain and give them the same treatment I do you."

Atalaya's eyes widened as she stared down at the ground. Sherry's carefree tone made her brain draw a complete blank, and she slowly forced her neck to raise her head enough so she could look at her the woman. "Disgusting..!" Before Sherry could do more than arch an eyebrow at the word, Atalaya spat right in her face.

A deafening silence settled on the arena as Sherry seemed too shocked to even realize what had happened. Finally, after almost ten seconds, she slowly reached up and wiped the bloody spit off her cheek, cold rage quickly taking over her features. "You really want me to kill you that badly, pirate king," she said, her voice no longer containing even a hint of the cheeriness. "Fine."

As Sherry once again closed her eyes to brace for her hit, Atalaya ground her teeth together as she forced the fur on her body to become as rough as possible and stand up straight, creating a rock-hard defense over her skin. She ground her teeth together when Sherry's eyes snapped open and she growled, "Fur Shield.", a split second before the woman's fist connected with her cheek.

The blow was excruciating, but nowhere nearly as bad as the last one. Atalaya refused to let her head snap to the side even as her jaw felt like it had shattered, and and the snarl that erupted from her throat was nowhere near strained as she turned her head towards Sherry, whose fist still pressed against her cheek. "So it's not just me," she grit out. "It's not just my friends you've hurt."

Sherry backed away, shock mixed with fear dancing on her face as she stared at Atalaya, who started struggling against her restraints again. "I'm not gonna let you," she said, her pain almost completely absent as rage worked to repair her damaged limbs. "I'm not gonna let you hurt anyone anymore!" Her voice rose to a scream as she started twisting her upper body against the stone, her claws growing out as far as they went.

"Twin Claw Cannon Tornado!"

The rocks surrounding Atalaya's body were blasted away from her as she whirled around, her claws sending heavy currents flying in every direction. Sherry exclaimed in pain as the currents hit her chest, drawing several gashes over her collarbones. She quickly raised her arms to shield her face from harm and backed away, completely at loss for what to do now. No one had ever broken out of her locks, let alone survive two direct hits of Haki.

Atalaya crouched down and slammed her hands into the ground to break her spin, and without giving Sherry time enough to recover, she lunged herself at her, her forehead crashing into her raised arms. Sherry was knocked off her feet as the rock-hard fur on Atalaya's body increased the force, and she couldn't help but cry out in pain when she slammed into the ground, feeling as if her spine would've dislocated "You..!" she grit out and reached for the knife embedded in the ground not far from her. "I'll-"

"Claw Gun!" Atalaya didn't wait for Sherry to recover before she struck the knife in her hand, making the blade shatter the second her claws connected and leaving Sherry with no weapons. "It's a shame," Atalaya mumbled as she towered over the woman. "I really thought you were someone I'd ask to sail with us."

A sweet smile stretched Sherry's lips. "Don't say that, pirate king," she said, her hands clenching into fists against the ground. "I'll get even sadder than I am now." Before Atalaya had time to react, Sherry threw a handful of sand into her face, and she exclaimed as the grains hit her eyes. "Lock Lock Blindfold!" Sherry yelled, and Atalaya staggered back as the sand formed a brittle cover over her eyes, completely blinding her.

She raised her hands to tear at the blindfold, but before she could do more than scratch it, Sherry aimed a kick at her ankle and knocked her off her feet. Atalaya groaned as she landed painfully on her injured shoulder and she inhaled deeply before clumsily stumbling to her feet, twisting her head to the sides in attempt to catch a sound of her opponent.

"Having trouble, pirate king?"

Atalaya whirled around with her arms raised as Sherry had spoken right into her ear. A snarl rolled past her teeth as her claws tore through thin air and her opponent's shrill laughter echoed all around her. "Unless you get that thing off your eyes, you can't hit me!"

The words were followed by the sensation of more sand being thrown at Atalaya's face, but she didn't even react when she felt the blindfold grow larger and stronger. Instead, she released a long exhale, emptying her lungs on all air as she forced every muscle in her body to relax. _I don't need to see her_, she thought. _I'm a predator, a hunter. I don't need my eyes to find my prey. Sense of smell and hearing. Instinct._

An unfamiliar, primal feeling slowly welled up inside of Atalaya, and when she parted her lips to sigh, a soft snarl erupted from her throat instead. _A beast_. As if she was suddenly able to see everything around her, she lunged to the side and reached out, grinning in satisfaction as her hand locked around Sherry's upper arm.

"Impossible!" Sherry squealed and started flailing, but Atalaya's grip only tightened, her claws digging into her skin. "L-let go of me!"

"No deal," Atalaya snarled. She widened her stance and twisted her body, pulling Sherry over her shoulder and slamming her into the ground. "I'll make you regret what you did!" She released a loud roar as she tugged Sherry off the ground once more and threw her to the side, her eyes widening behind the blindfold when she heard the sound of rocks breaking apart.

When the noise settled, it was followed by a crushing silence. Atalaya lowered herself onto all four as she waited, her fur standing straight up like antennas in attempt to figure out what was going on. "What're you doing..?" she growled and backed a few steps. "Stop hiding, and-"

She bit her tongue mid-sentence as a fist connected with her chin, the pain making her drop to her knees. "Gah..!" Her cheek was completely numb, flashing fire along with each accelerated heartbeat, a painful reminder that her face was a victim of Haki. "Shit..!"

"It hurts, doesn't it, pirate king?"

Atalaya raised her head and glared upwards, as if she knew that Sherry was standing right in front of her. She heard her own pulse thundering in her ears, her cheek twitched painfully along with any and every move she made, but she held still, her teeth bared at the looming presence before her. "Yeah, it hurts," she snarled, masking a gasp of pain with a dark chuckle. "But it's nothing compared to what you'll be feeling when this battle's over!"

The high-pitched laughter Sherry released made Atalaya's ears curl back. "You should see yourself," she said, managing to sound mocking although she was clearly out of breath. "You look like you're on your knees in front of death's door, yet you still think you'll beat me, pirate king."

"Oh, I don't- I don't _think_ I'll defeat you," Atalaya hissed, her voice grim with rage as she braced her hands to the ground and raised her knees, so she was standing on all four. "I _know _I will!" She lunged forward, head first, exclaiming when the rough blindfold struck against something, and a strangled growl rolled past her teeth when she heard Sherry cry out in pain.

"My knee..!"

Atalaya heard a thud, and she quickly rose to her feet, inhaling deeply as she blindly trusted her sense of hearing and smell. "Get up," she growled. "I can't kick your ass if you're on the ground."

"You're a bit too cocky, pirate king!" The strain in Sherry's voice made Atalaya quickly leap backwards, and she huffed when she felt something swipe over her right knee and realized Sherry had tried to knock her down again. "Why don't you join me down here instead of talking so high and mighty?"

Another blow, this one to her stomach, and it sent all air flying out of Atalaya's lungs. She gasped and staggered, but she refused to drop to her knees again. "I won't stoop," she breathed out. "I can only rise. If I fall now, I won't become the king of pirates." She straightened up, coughing as a small amount of air returned to her. "If I lose to you, how am I supposed to keep striving for my own dream?"

"Wha-"

She stepped forward, grinding her teeth together as Sherry's fist once more descended onto her injured shoulder with brutal force. "No matter what, I won't stoop," Atalaya snarled loudly. "Not before someone like you!" She widened her stance and raised her arms, bracing herself for any incoming attacks. "If I can't protect my friends-"

"Stop talking, pirate king!" Sherry's voice was all Atalaya needed to make sure exactly where the woman was standing, and she inhaled deeply as she prepared to strike.

"If I can't defeat you-"

"I said, _stop talking_!"

"-_Then I'm not worthy of being king_!" Despite her body's terrible state, Atalaya burst forward, Sherry's shocked exclaim serving as a perfect guide to her target. "So I will defeat you!" she shouted, and as she braced her arms, it was as if she clearly could see her enemy in front of her. "_Twin Claw Gun_!"

Her claws buried into their target, but the impact of the contact jarred Sherry away from her. Atalaya heard the woman cry out and stagger backwards, her footsteps heavy as she clumsily tried to navigate away from the blinded hybrid. All hostility had vanished from her voice, leaving behind nothing but pain and fear.

Then, all of a sudden, Atalaya heard Sherry emit a shocked gasp, and everything went quiet. She inhaled deeply, but she couldn't tell any scent apart from the sandstorm anymore. "You..." she grumbled and twisted her head to the sides. "Sher-"

Atalaya jumped up in pure shock when the blindfold suddenly dissolved back into small grains of sand, and she coughed as several of those grains flowed into her mouth. "What the-" She halted her coughing when her eyes landed on the mountain wall at the edge of the arena. A large opening had been blasted away, and Atalaya's jaw dropped when she realized it must've spot on the wall she'd thrown Sherry into before.

"It's all gone..." Her shock was quickly replaced with horror when she realized the pink-haired woman must've stumbled over the edge and fallen. Atalaya's strike had sent her staggering backwards towards the opening, and without having enough time to slow down, Sherry had fallen.

"I..." Atalaya spat out the rest of the sand and moved up to the edge, a cold shiver running down her spine when she found the mountain continued straight down in an almost vertical drop. "Shit," Atalaya sighed and raised her good arm to rub her forehead. "This wasn't my intention."

She stared down the steep fall for a few more seconds before placing her hand to her chest and inhaling deeply to show her condolences for Sherry's fate. "I try to be sorry," she said, her eyebrows still knitted together in anger when she lowered her hand again. "But I still resent you for what you did."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Phew._

_I've bought a scanner! I bought it today, I'm gonna install it now, so be sure to check my dA page later! There's a _lot_ of pictures to be posted during the rest of the night!_

_Until friday, fare thee well!_


	108. Aftermath of the battle!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Inspirations for this episode;_

_Better Fly – Kyueko_

_The First Empires - Apollo_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and eight – Aftermath of the battle! Light at the end of the tunnel!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Exhaustion suddenly replaced anything and everything Atalaya was feeling, and she dropped into a sitting position, grimacing in discomfort as pain spread from her stomach to the rest of her body. "I really thought I was done for," she huffed and leaned back on her arms. "Ah, I should go make sure the rest are okay..."

Barely had those words left her lips before she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. "Kitsune?" she mumbled and glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening when she found she was staring at Gorra. The raptor's wound was still bleeding, but he walked towards her on steady legs, fangs bared in a threatening manner and eyes gleaming with rage.

"Shit!" Atalaya growled and made an attempt to stand up, but she only managed to turn over so she was braced on the ground on her hands and knees. Before she could start struggling to her feet, the blue reptile was standing straight in front of her, lowering his head to bite her neck.

She could feel Gorra's breath against her skin, and just as his fangs connected with her neck, he halted. As quickly as she could Atalaya crawled to the side, a relieved exhale gusting past her lips when she saw Kitsune sitting on Gorra's saddle, Hebi Kotei's hilt sticking out from between the raptor's shoulder blades.

"Ya look terrible, cap'n," was the swordsman's greeting as he withdrew his katana and slid down from Gorra's back. The action caused the dinosaur to fall to the side, and a bored expression settled on Kitsune's face as he sheathed Hebi Kotei. "Ya got yer revenge?" he asked and looked around.

"You could say that," Atalaya huffed and braced her hands on her knees as she tried to stand up, but all her strength seemed to have left her body. "Where are the others?"

"Inside the cave."

Atalaya nodded in relief, but the satisfaction was short-lived when she failed to stand up on her own, an growl rolling past her teeth in frustration. "Little help over here?" she said and arched an expectant eyebrow at the swordsman.

Kitsune tilted his head to the side, a chuckle rocking his frame. "I ain't gonna carry ya," he said. "But I'll let ya use this if ya want." He placed Hebi Kotei on the ground in front of her, and an amused smirk appeared on Atalaya's lips as she braced the sheath to the ground and pulled herself up to her feet.

"Thanks," she sighed. "But unfortunately, there's something you'll have to carry." She raised a hand and pointed at Runuura's egg, which had been freed from the stone prison at the same time as Atalaya's blindfold had crumbled. "We'll bring that egg to the village," she said. "It's partly our fault Runuura's dead, so we owe it to them to bring it back."

She chuckled when Kitsune emitted a dramatical sigh and strolled over to the egg, somewhat carelessly picking it up. "What are ya gonna do about fancy pants, blondie and the airhead?" he asked, a lopsided smirk on his lips as he watched Atalaya drag her feet towards the cave. "We ain't gonna have enough strength ta carry 'em ourselves."

"We'll just have to wait for them to wake up. Or wake them up ourselves." Atalaya snorted when she saw Kitsune start imagining the worst possible ways to wake someone up. "Meaning we'll keep shaking them until they wake," she said sternly. "Not... I don't know, slice their arms off or whatever you were imagining."

A bark of laughter bubbled from the swordsman and he shrugged. They walked the rest of the way under silence, and Atalaya released a loud groan when they reached the cave and she sat down on a boulder. Roa, Lance and Ruule were propped up against the cave wall, looking like some sort of deranged dolls.

"Alright, wake them up," Atalaya said and nodded at Kitsune, who quirked an eyebrow in return.

"How do ya suggest I do that?" he asked smugly. "Unless ya wanna watch me put more damage on one of our darlin' crewmates, yer on yer own, cap'n."

"You're a real bastard, you know," Atalaya sighed and pushed off the boulder. She stood still for a few seconds, trying to come up with the easiest way to wake someone up, and she equipped a faint grin as an idea popped into her mind. "Alright, you should plug your ears," she said and lowered herself to all four, fully morphing into a sabertooth tiger.

Atalaya waited until Kitsune had covered his ears with his hands before inhaling deeply and releasing a roar loud enough to make the cave walls quake. The effect was instant; Roa and Lance sat up straight as if they'd received an electrical shock, while Ruule's eyes only opened and he groaned as if he'd been woken up from a very deep sleep.

"What the-" Roa's eyes widened as he rubbed his forehead, all memories from Sherry's betrayal quickly flowing back into his mind. "Atalaya, we need to..." His words trailed off at the sight of Atalaya as she morphed back into a human. Her neck shoulder was bleeding, half her face was covered by a purple bruise, and she was leaning forward a little, as if she was unable to stand up straight.

"Captain!" Lance exclaimed and jumped to his feet so he could offer her a hand. "What happened? Did lady- did that woman do this to you?"

Atalaya cracked a grin, wincing as the action hurt her cheek. "I'll survive," she said and waved a hand around. "And it was a small price to pay for giving Sherry what she deserved for betraying us and doing what she did to you."

"What happened to Runuura?" Roa asked. "I was knocked unconscious before he landed."

"Dead." Atalaya raised a hand to point at the egg in Kitsune's arms. "And Runuura was a female, mother to that egg," she said. "Sherry wanted Runuura dead just so she could sell it." She paused to glance at Ruule, who was staring at her shoulder with slightly widened eyes, his hands twitching slightly. "You okay, Ruule?" Atalaya asked and tilted her head to the side.

The chef blinked and roughly shook his head before offering her a smile. "Si," he said. "So... what are you planning to do with that egg now?"

"We're takin' it ta the village," Kitsune said and tucked it under his left arm. "Curious ta see how they react."

A sigh gusted past Atalaya's lips and she staggered a bit where she stood. "Alright, we should get going," she said and moved to take a step forward, but she found her path blocked by Roa.

"You're not walking back like that," he frowned and turned around so she could climb up his back. "Come on, I'll carry you."

"I can't do that, you're also injur-" Atalaya accidentally bit her tongue as she was none too gently pushed forward. She lost her footing and stumbled forward, huffing as she collided with Roa's back. The archer instantly locked his arms around under her legs and hoisted her up.

"Ah, forgive me, captain," Lance said and offered her a wide smile as he strode past her and Roa. "I must have stumbled into you and caused you to fall. This dark cave robs me of my vision, clearly..."

"Very clever," Atalaya scoffed, but she didn't have strength enough to argue. "But thank you. And put me down straight away if your arm starts to hurt, Roa."

The archer nodded and tightened his grip on her before following Lance towards the exit of the cave. It was nighttime outside, the clouds in the sky blocking out most of the moonlight. "Arite, airhead, ya can carry this," Kitsune said and pushed the egg into Ruule's arms. "I'm gonna need both my hands if we wanna get back ta the village without dyin'."

The trip down Mokin Mountain went without trouble as the battle against Runuura had seemingly frightened off all Sky Kings, but neither Kitsune nor Lance, who acted as lookouts, lowered their guards even when they reached the mountain base. The sounds from the nesting grounds could be heard where they stood, and it did little to ease the Saber Pirates' tension.

It hadn't taken long for Atalaya's exhaustion to get the best of her and made her drift off, falling into a deep sleep on Roa's back. Having carried her in a state like this before, the archer didn't even notice it until he was forced to stop as a loud rustling reached them. He straightened up and cursed as the action almost caused Atalaya to slip down from his shoulders.

"What was that?" he hissed and leaned forward again, managing to angle Atalaya against his back again. "It didn't sound like a dinosaur."

"Ain't nothin' fer ya ta worry 'bout," Kitsune hummed and unsheathed Hebi Kotei, raising the blade to point towards the source of the sound. "Focus on keepin' the cap'n on yer back, yeah?"

Although slightly irritated, Roa nodded and backed up a few steps, letting Kitsune and Lance take the lead. The tension grew as the rustling sound drew closer and closer, then a blinding light shone straight out of the bushes. Lance raised an arm to shield his face from the light and Kitsune braced Hebi Kotei, but then a familiar voice called out to them.

"Kitsune, sir! I'm glad to see you're alive!"

Once used to the light, Roa's eyes widened as they landed on Colter, along with four other warriors from Washi Sanctuary. They were pulling a simple two-wheeled carriage along behind them, and the light came from a bright oil lamp in Colter's hands.

"Ah, I remember ya," Kitsune said and sheathed his katana. "What're ya doin' out here in the middle of the night?"

Colter chuckled and gestured towards the carriage. "We came to pick you up," he said. "Lady Elie wanted us to fetch you. 'Dead or alive.', she told me. I'm sure she's worried and wants to know of your progress as soon as possible."

"How thoughtful," Ruule smiled and happily strolled up to the carriage and climbed aboard. He hummed in satisfaction as he leaned his back against the rail and closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep straight away.

"Unbelievable..." Roa sighed and hoisted Atalaya a little higher on his back as he moved closer to the carriage. "C'mon, pretty boy, help me get the captain up on this thing."

"What gives you the right to order me around?" Lance snapped, but he sheathed his trench knives and climbed aboard the carriage to help either way. Together, they managed to carefully position Atalaya on the carriage without waking her up.

"Arite," Kitsune said as he took his seat on the edge of the vehicle. "Back ta yer village, big guy."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_Kitsune, you ass. Help the captain out, would you? No? Fine. Be an ass. The readers will love you all the same. Dammit..._

_Heh._

_Until monday, fare thee well!_


	109. Secrets revealed!

**Race for One Piece**

AN; _Inspiration for this episode;_

_Last Chance – Brand X Music_

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and nine - Secrets revealed! Pride of a pirate!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It seemed like only a few hours had passed before they came in range of Washi Sanctuary's surrounding area. The carriage had been on the move nonstop, showing the extreme endurance of Colter and his men as they had sprinted through the forest without slowing down at all.

Ruule had been quick to fall asleep, and Lance had barely noticed it in time to save the egg and the chef from falling backwards and off their ride. The shipwright had laid him down, but that had only served to wake him up not minutes later, the uneven ground making the carriage rattle like an alarm clock. Ruule had spent the rest of the trip dozing off with his back lined up along Roa's.

The archer was surprised to say the least that Atalaya didn't wake up even once. She'd slept for several hours now, ever since Roa lifted her up on his back. Her exhaustion must've been greater than anyone of them would've guessed if she was able to sleep so soundly during the bumpy ride.

Kitsune seemed to be the only one who didn't show any signs of being tired. He sat still in his seat at the edge of the carriage, not exchanging any words with anyone else except to deny Colter any information about their mission to deal with Runuura. "I ain't wanna spoil the surprise," he said, a smug grin on his lips as he clearly enjoyed keeping the guard on edge with anticipation.

Suddenly, when they had just arrived at the main gates of Washi Sanctuary, Atalaya jolted awake and sat up straight as if she'd been electrified. "What the-" Roa flinched in shock, the action causing Ruule to lose his support and fall forward, smacking his forehead to the carriage with a loud thud.

"Captain!" Lance exclaimed and balanced over the uneven flooring so he could crouch down next to her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine... where are we?" Atalaya asked and looked around, a crease appearing on her forehead as her eyes landed on several houses. "Is this the village you were talking about?"

"Tis the very same, captain, but..." Lance sighed when Atalaya scooted over the carriage to the edge and jumped down, wobbling slightly when she landed. The shipwright quickly followed and grabbed hold of Atalaya's healthy arm so she could brace herself against him.

Atalaya arched an eyebrow and smiled. "I'm fine, Lance," she said, chuckling as a doubting expression settled on the shipwright's face. "Really, I am. I'll just won't do any quick movements, okay?"

Before Lance could answer, the carriage came to a halt and Kitsune, Roa and Ruule stepped down onto the ground. "I think lady Elie wants to see you as soon as possible," Colter said and motioned towards the big house in the middle of the town. "Go right ahead."

"Arite," Kitsune said and beckoned his index finger at Ruule. "Get the egg, airhead. We're gettin' rid of it now."

"Si." Ruule secured the egg in his arms, a smile on his lips. "Wonder what they'll think when they see this," he chuckled and steered his steps towards Elie's house, but just as he was about to walk through the front door, he was greeted by Keisa, who appeared in the doorframe to block his way.

"Lady Elie wishes to speak with you outside," she said and bowed down as she moved to the side to let the young leader walk past her. Elie had switched out her usual clothes for more formal-looking ones, but the cape of long strands of grass still dangled from her neck.

Her eyes traveled from Ruule, who slowly backed up a few steps, to Roa, who was bleeding from one arm, and to Lance, whose neck still hosted an open gash. Elie's eyes rested at Atalaya for a few seconds longer than the rest before she turned to Kitsune. "How did your mission fare?" she asked.

"Everythin's done," the swordsman said, a wide smirk on his lips. "Yer empress Runuura's dead."

Atalaya groaned and quickly shoved past Kitsune. "That's a nice way of putting it," she grumbled and positioned herself in front of him. "You're the town leader?" she asked of Elie, who nodded slowly in return. "It's true, what Kitsune says. Runuura's dead. And it's partly our fault. You see..."

She explained everything that had occurred with Sherry and up on Mokin Mountain, how they had fought Runuura and been betrayed, and when she was finished, the entire village was dead silent, all eyes resting on her. "So," Atalaya said and looked around, the silence making her slightly uncomfortable. "I hope I can repay you somehow." She leaned forward in a deep bow. "I'm truly sorry," she said.

Elie glared at her, scanning her body for some hint of doubt or untruth. "Emperor Runuura is dead..?" she asked slowly after almost one minute's silence. When Atalaya nodded, she blew out a shaky breath and turned around to face the villagers. "Did you hear that? Emperor Runuura is dead!"

The crowd broke out into an ear-shattering cheer. They laughed and hollered with joy, hugged the person next to each other and chanted, "Feast, feast, feast!". Shocked, Atalaya straightened up and looked at her comrades, her confusion mirrored on their faces. "You... you're not upset?" she asked of Elie, who grinned widely at her expression.

"Of course not," she said. "We've been tortured by the presence of emperor Runuura for countless of decades! We don't pray to him out of respect or because we see him as a deity, we do so because we are afraid if we don't, he'll fly into a rage and come wipe out Washi Sanctuary. So you completed your mission with excellence." She offered Atalaya a quick smirk before she raised a hand to silence the crowd.

They instantly stopped their cheering, and the village was once again completely silent. "Now," Elie said and snapped her fingers. Keisa stepped up next to her, carrying a small wad of papers. "I have to say I'm shocked. You don't seem like much of a madman to me." The corners of her mouth twitched upwards as Atalaya's confusion grew tenfolds. "This _is_ the madman you were looking for, silver haired bounty hunter?" she asked and leaned to the side to look past Atalaya and at Kitsune, whose glee faltered ever so slightly.

"Ah, that," he said and backed a few steps when Atalaya turned around to stare at him with wide eyes. "I knew I was forgettin' somethin'... See, we were tryin' ta find ya, cap'n, and I figured the villagers would'a been more helpful if I told 'em we were bounty hunters, lookin' ta free 'em from a madman, so..."

"Bounty hunters," Atalaya repeated slowly and took a step towards Kitsune, a dangerous grin ghosting over her lips. "Madman? Well, Kitsune, that's quite a stretch from the truth, isn't it? I know I can be reckless, but I wouldn't go so far as to call me _mad_..."

Roa couldn't suppress the smirk that stretched his lips as the swordsman moved backwards in time with Atalaya's steps, the smug grin on Kitsune's face only widening as he raised his hands in mock surrender. Ruule followed the scene with interest as if he was watching a theatre, and Lance quirked an eyebrow in amusement.

"Before you start punishing him, I need to confirm something," Elie said loudly. She moved up next to Atalaya and pushed her to the side so she could stand in front of Kitsune instead. "You told us you were a bounty hunter, yes?" The swordsman nodded. "You told me _they_ were bounty hunters as well." She gestured towards Lance, Roa and Ruule, and the swordsman nodded again. "That's curious," Elie said and raised the papers she'd just been handed by Keisa. "Then how would you explain these?"

Atalaya's jaw dropped when she saw Elie was holding up four brand new wanted posters, and her stomach did a backflip at the sight of her own and Kitsune's bounties, which had been drastically increased. Both Roa and Lance had now gotten their own as well.

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

SABERTOOTH ATALAYA

80.000.000 BERI

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

CRIMSON FOX KITSUNE

60.000.000 BERI

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

POISON ARCHER SHUUSUN ROA

15.000.000 BERI

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

GENTLEMAN LANCE

15.000.000 BERI

Complete silence reigned in Washi Sanctuary for countless of seconds. Atalaya stared at her poster as if petrified, the new amount such a shock she had no idea what to say or do. She stood rooted to the spot while her mind tried to work out the right kind of reaction for this.

"That's amazing!" It was Ruule who broke the silence, his eyes widening behind his glasses as he scanned each poster. "And look, Lance and Roa even got the exact same amount!"

The two turned to face each other, both of them wearing the same murderous scowl. No words were required to reveal a fierce rivalry had been born, a rivalry that would in no way fix their current opinions of each other. Kitsune chortled as he followed the scene, and he arched an eyebrow as he glanced to the side and at Atalaya, who looked somewhat aghast.

"You really must be quite the madman to gain this kind of prize on your head," Elie said and nodded at Atalaya before the swordsman had the chance to address her. "A rookie pirate captain, worth 80.000.000 Beri is-"

"I'm not."

Elie bit off her sentence as Atalaya finally spoke up, her voice laced with anger. "I'm not worth 80.000.000 Beri," she said and snatched the wanted poster from Elie's hand. "This is all because of my stupidity that time..!" She grabbed a firm hold of the poster and, without a second's hesitation, she ripped it straight in half.

Roa and Lance both turned to stare at her with wide eyes, and even Ruule seemed shocked by her actions. "Isn't it a good thing for a pirate to have your bounty increased?" he asked.

"It is if you deserve it," Atalaya snapped and let the pieces of paper flutter to the ground. "But I don't deserve this. We need to set sail immediately so we can clear this up!"

A slightly confused expression danced over Lance's face. "What do you mean, captain?" he asked. "Set sail where?"

"Solare Kingdom, of course," Atalaya said and glared down at the remains of her poster as if they had offended her. "We're returning the Sun's Heart to Solare Kingdom as soon as possible!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_What Atalaya is referring to here at the end is her mistake of telling Lash that she was in possession of the Sun's Heart, which, as you might remember, will instantly lead to an increase of one's bounty. So, worry not; she's still worth only 24.000.000 Beri in proper measurements._

_Until wednesday, fare thee well!_


	110. Save the unborn!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and ten – Save the unborn! The next destination is Solare Kingdom!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

A sigh of understanding gusted past Kitsune's lips when Atalaya mentioned the Sun's Heart. "Ya don't want yer bounty increased fer somethin' ya didn't steal in the first place," he stated and nodded at the logic. "But cap'n, couldn't the bounty stand fer yer fight against Van Rosheer and the Extermination Pirates?"

"If it does, they'll lower the bounty to a proper amount once we return the Sun's Heart," Atalaya said and turned her back to her torn wanted poster. "Ah, speaking of returning..." She walked up to Ruule and grabbed the egg from his arms. "This is for you," she said and put it down on the ground in front of Elie. "It's Runuura's egg."

Elie's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she stared down at the egg. "Runuura's..?" she breathed out and crouched down so she could have a better look at it. "Why... where did you get this?"

"'S the reason big beasty was goin' berserk," Kitsune said, arching an eyebrow at Elie's panicky tone. "'T was protectin' that, worried someone was gonna come an' snatch it."

"The baby dragon inside would die without care," Atalaya said and scratched the back of her head. "And since it's thanks to us Runuura's dead, we thought we'd bring the egg to you."

The village leader seemed to have lost her ability to speak. She stared down at the egg, her lips moving slightly as she mouthed some inaudible words, her hands clenching into fists. "Colter," she finally said after about thirty seconds.

Said guard instantly stepped out from behind the Saber Pirates, a determined expression on his face. "Yes, lady Elie?" he said and bowed down in front of her.

"Destroy this egg."

"Yes, m'lady."

Atalaya's eyes widened in shock at the order, and she lunged forward and grabbed hold of Colter's arms as he raised his spear, ignoring the pain the movement caused her body. "What're you doing?" she growled and glared at Elie, who calmly returned her stare. "Why would you destroy this egg?!"

"You don't understand?" Elie sighed and threw her arms out to the sides. "We've lived under Runuura's terror for our entire lives," she said. "Now, once he's finally gone and we can live in peace, you bring me his..._ her_ egg? That egg is close to hatching, and when it does, what if a new emperor Runuura is born? One who will replace the old one and keep us living in fear?" She shook her head and raised her voice to say, "We'll get rid of it and live in peace!", to which the villagers started cheering.

Atalaya parted her lips to argue, but no reasonable retort came to mind. Colter released himself from her grip and raised his spear again, but just as he was about to impale the egg, Atalaya let her fangs grow long and she burst forward, locking her teeth around the spearhead and preventing it from touching the shell of the egg. A strangled snarl worked its way past her lips as her cheek screamed in protest at the action.

"Atalaya!" Roa tore his bow from his shoulder, quickly nocking an arrow and taking aim at Colter. "Back away," the archer growled and tightened the grip on his bow as he took a few steps forward. "Back away from our captain and drop your spear!"

Colter hesitated, and before he could even shoot an uncertain glance at Elie, Atalaya clenched her jaw and crushed the spearhead between her teeth. The guard staggered back and released what remained of his spear, a shocked expression on his face as Atalaya straightened up. "A Devil's Fruit..!" he breathed out.

Wincing as her cheek throbbed again, Atalaya spat out the shards of the spearhead. "It's okay, Roa," she said, and the archer lowered his bow, although he didn't put it away. "I can't let you kill it." Atalaya turned to fully address Elie. "Even as the offspring of a dragon, you can't judge this baby based on what its mother did," she said and crouched down to place her hands on the egg. "You have to promise you won't destroy this egg, and that you won't leave this dragon to die when it's born, or I'll-"

"Or what?" Elie interrupted and crossed her arms over her chest, fury dancing in her eyes. "What would you do, what _could_ you do? When you sail away from here, you'll have no clue what we do to this egg!"

"... Or I'll take it with me."

Elie's eyes widened in shock, and the entire village seemed to hold their breath at the sudden turn of events. Kitsune threw his head back and released a bark of laughter, "I knew ya were gonna say that.", while Lance and Roa looked like they'd been struck by lightning. Ruule clapped his hands together, an excited smile on his lips as he nodded in agreement to Atalaya's words.

"This baby dragon is without a parent because of me," she went on and hoisted the egg into her arms, grinding her teeth together as her injured shoulder protested at the motion. "I can't let it die as well, so if you won't take care of it, I will." She turned to face her comrades, the corners of her mouth curling up into a toothy grin. "We'll raise it until it's old enough to survive on its own," she said. "Any objections?"

Roa sighed and shook his head as he slid the arrow back into his quiver and strapped his bow over his shoulder, the ghost of a smile dancing on his lips. "No objections here, captain," he said. Lance nodded in agreement and walked up to Atalaya to relieve her from the weight of the egg.

"I shall make sure to find a proper place for this to rest aboard the ship," he said and carefully positioned it in his arms.

The smile on Ruule's lips seemed off somehow, but before Atalaya got the chance to question him, Kitsune poked her in the side with Hebi Kotei's sheath. "Can I relax now, or are ya still gonna beat the crap outta me?" he asked, the smugness in his voice making Atalaya roll her eyes.

"No, I'm not," she said. "But you're gonna be on cleaning duty once we get back to Atlas. As your punishment."

Kitsune sighed dramatically as if this punishment would've been much worse than getting beat up. "Arite, well, are we leavin' straight away?" he asked and flicked his head in the direction of the main gates.

"One moment."

They turned to Elie, who had stepped forward and raised her voice, a frown on her face. "We still owe you for freeing us from Runuura," she said and raised a hand to her chest. "What we gave you in return isn't even nearly enough to repay you, so let us at least heal your wounds."

Keisa stepped out of the crowd with two men, both of them dressed as doctors. "They will tend to your wounds," she said and motioned for the crew to follow her. "The infirmary is this way."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

The Saber Pirates stayed in Washi Sanctuary for two more days while they waited for Atalaya's wounds to heal enough so she could travel again. Lance and Roa had to practically force her to stay in bed and rest as she was eager to go the very second the Log had settled, showing them the direct way to the next island.

Her shoulder had been neatly stitched up and healed quickly, but her stomach and cheek had required much more tending to. She was forbidden to move out of her bed for a full day, during which she suffered from extreme restlessness.

The puncture wounds on Roa's arm had been fixed the fastest. One stitch per bite mark was all it took, and the archer hadn't even flinched when the doctors had worked on his arm. He'd been way too busy to get in a heated argument with Lance regarding their equal bounties.

After Lance's neck had been fixed, the only one left was Atalaya. Neither Ruule nor Kitsune had suffered any damage bad enough to require treatment, so when the Log settled on the night of the first day, it was up to the rest of the crew to restrain her, to make sure she got the rest she needed.

Early in the morning at the third day, the Saber Pirates were all up and ready to go before the sun had even started to rise. They had a long way to walk to get back to Atlas, but if they'd keep up a good pace all the way, they would reach the cliffs just by sundown. All their belongings had been packed, and Runuura's egg had been secured inside a sack carried by Atalaya.

"Are you certain we ought to leave without bidding farewell, captain?" Lance mumbled as they trotted past Elie's house. Apart from them, Washi Sanctuary was completely deserted at an hour this early, so they were able to get going without any delays or distractions. "The way you left things with lady Elie was perhaps a little..."

Atalaya grinned as the shipwright's voice trailed off, and she waved a hand around as if to swat away his concern. "Don't mind that," she said quietly. "We'll say goodbye to the guards on duty, but I wanna leave as soon as possible. Besides..." She hoisted the bag a little higher on her shoulder. "I'd get pissed off again if they commented on us taking the egg."

"Ya know, I think anybody would comment on ya takin' a dragon's egg, cap'n," Kitsune snorted from the front. "Ain't somethin' ya see every day, yeah?"

"I think it was an admirable gesture," Ruule hummed and sent Atalaya a bright smile. "Especially since the dragon could grow to twice Atlas' size and then decide to eat the ship..."

"Way to stay positive, idiot," Roa frowned and shook his head. "We're not keeping the dragon for long enough to let it destroy Atlas. Right, Atalaya?"

"Yeah, sure."

The dismissive response made a bad feeling settle into the archer's gut, but before he could dwell on the fact, they arrived at the main gates of the Sanctuary. Colter was not on duty at the moment, so after exchanging a quick farewell with some of the local guards, the Saber Pirates set off into the jungle.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_I'm posting in a hurry, so I have no time to leave the inspirational songs here, nor spell-check the episode. Sorry for any possible mistakes, and until friday, fare thee well!_


	111. Back at Atlas!

**Race for One Piece**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**episode one hundred and eleven – Back at Atlas! One night's rest before departure!**

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"We're finally back!"

Atalaya released an exhausted chortle as she leaped onto Atlas' deck, set down the sack with Runuura's egg by the main mast and let herself fall backwards, huffing as she hit the flooring. Over fifteen hours had passed since they had left Washi Sanctuary, and they had been moving ever since, only stopping for a maximum of ten minutes when hungry or too tired to move.

"I'll never set foot in a jungle like this again," Roa growled and interrupted the untying of the ship's lines to scratch at his arms, which were covered by mosquito-bites. "Dinosaurs I can live with, but not these little bloodsuckers!"

"It bothers you to that extent, hm?" Lance sighed and shook his head as he stepped up next to Atalaya. "I would _love_ to be of assistance and fetch you some lotion from the infirmary, but I'm afraid I have much more pressing matters on my mind at the moment." He leaned forward and carefully picked up Runuura's egg. "I shall install a proper heating system for this egg in the brig," he said and moved towards the companionway. "A place where it can rest peacefully."

"Thanks." Atalaya yawned loudly and rose into a sitting position. "How soon can we set sail, Roa?" she asked.

"That stupid bast- ah, well, we're not sailing anywhere tonight," the archer said, sending Lance a murderous look before walking over to the figurehead and pointing out towards the horizon, where the last rays of the sun were still visible. "If our new destination is Solare Kingdom, we'll need full sunlight to find it." Roa raised his right arm to point directly above him.

"In the article about the Sun's Heart, there were clear directions," he said. "So that anyone could find the island wherever they were. The key is the sun. At midday, the precise middle of a day, the sun will be located directly above Solare Kingdom. So, we set sail in tomorrow when the sun's up."

Atalaya released a whine and lay back down on the deck. "Tomorrow," she repeated, equipping a grimace as she felt her impatience stir. "I wanna get there as soon as possible..."

A soft chuckle sounded from somewhere above her, and she craned her neck so she could look at Ruule, who was leaning his back against the main mast. "If you're impatient, you should sleep the night away," he said and nodded at his own idea. "I think everybody's exhausted from the long walk either way-"

He was interrupted by a loud growling from Atalaya's stomach, a clear sign she wasn't gonna sleep on an empty stomach. The chef released another chuckle and pushed away from the mast, steering his steps towards the kitchen. "Si, I'll whip something up right now," he said and waved his right hand. "I'll bring it out in ten minutes."

Atalaya parted her lips to thank him, but another loud growl interrupted her train of thought, and she smacked a hand over her stomach in attempt to get it to stop making noise, wincing ever so slightly as her recently healed gut protested at the hit.

"Yer too loud, sweetheart." She sighed in irritation and tipped her head back to glare at Kitsune, who was seated on the first gallant of the main mast, a spiteful smirk on his lips. "What, can't ya even go one day without food?" he asked and shook his head in mock concern.

"I _can_, I just don't want to," Atalaya scoffed and averted her attention from the swordsman. "Skipping meals is bad for the musculature. And my skills are based on strength. I'd be a pretty sad sabertooth tiger with spindly limbs like yours."

Kitsune released a bark of laughter at the remark, completely ignoring the fact that is was most likely meant as an insult. "Luckily I ain't needin' as much _brawn_ as _brains_ fer swordplay with Hebi Kotei," he cajoled and slid down from the gallant, landing gracefully on his feet. "Tell the airhead I ain't eatin'. 'S already past bedtime fer a good boy like me."

A loud snort sounded from the figurehead, and Atalaya couldn't help but chuckle at sight of Roa's disbelieving expression. "He's insane," the archer sighed and stomped towards the infirmary. "It's a miracle his attitude hasn't gotten him killed yet. Not that probably anyone _could_ kill him..." He rolled his shoulders and sent Atalaya a sideways glance. "I'll be right back," he said. "Just need to find that lotion for these damn mosquito bites that pretty boy was talking about."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Despite all anxiousness and impatience, the members of the Saber Pirates still managed to get their much needed sleep. The night passed by peacefully, and even though not even the tiniest of sounds disturbed the early morning, Atalaya was suddenly roused from her sleep, as awake as if someone would've screamed into her ear.

"Morning," she mumbled and quickly leaped down from her loft, not even bothering to keep it down as she quickly moved past the bunks where her crew slept peacefully. She scaled the ladder, and the very second she jumped up on deck, a wide grin stretched her lips as she had to raise a hand to shield her eyes from the strong light of the rising sun.

The sky was blood red as the sun had apparently appeared on the horizon only a few minutes ago. The color triggered a rush of goosebumps along Atalaya's arms, and she inhaled deeply, humming as the fresh air tickled her nostrils. "Time to go," she said and took a few steps out onto open deck.

She raised her right leg and, with every thought of a slow awakening as good as absent, she slammed it down into the flooring, knowing the contact sounded loudly enough to wake everyone up one floor down. "The sun's up!" she shouted and repeated the process, grinning as her sensitive ears caught the sound of her crew's displeasure from being woken so early. "We're setting sail!"

Lance was the first one to join her up on deck, a wide smile on his lips as if he hadn't just been brutally woken up from his beauty sleep. "Best of mornings to you, captain," he said and bowed his head in salute. "It will take those brutes downstairs a few minutes to get ready, so if you would like to use the time to accompany me to the brig, I will show you the arrangements for Runuura's egg."

"Alright, let's go," Atalaya said and followed Lance back down the companionway. She cracked a wide grin at the sight of Roa, who was sitting upright in his bunk, looking just about ready to kill anyone who stepped into his line of sight, and Ruule, who was wearing his usual smile although his eyelids kept drooping down, urging him to go back to sleep. Kitsune hadn't moved at all, but the smirk on his lips informed everybody he was wide awake.

Once outside the brig, Lance reached inside his pockets for a key-chain and unlocked the heavy wooden door. "I installed several small furnaces so the egg would be kept warm," he said. "'Tis quite hot in there, so if you feel warm, 'tis because of the four live fires." His nonchalant tone made Atalaya snicker, since the shipwright himself was wearing at least three layers of clothing.

He pulled open the door, and Atalaya released an involuntary gasp as she was hit by a blast of almost scorching hot air. She arched an eyebrow in disbelief as she watched Lance step inside the room, not showing any signs of it being too warm.

"So hot," she breathed out when she followed him inside, sweat instantly forming on her brow. "Won't Atlas take damage from this?"

"Fret not, captain," Lance said and raised a hand to stroke the walls. "Before I installed the heating system, I made sure to coat these walls with a special, fire-resistant varnish. I have to replace the varnish once a day, but that is a small price to pay for being able to host a dragon's egg, wouldn't you say?"

He plucked a small key from the keychain and unlocked the brig, and Atalaya's eyes widened at the sight presented to her. An ornate platform built out of square-shaped rocks had been raised in the middle of the cell, and the egg was resting safely on top of it. Some of the heat seemed to radiate out of the platform, which made Atalaya wonder if there was a live fire burning inside the layer of rocks.

Four separate small furnaces were placed around the platform, each holding a large amount of glowing charcoal. At the base of the platform, a small hollow had been carved to fit the Sun's Heart. The jewel was now more securely held in place, and from this angle, it reflected the charcoal's red light, making it glow and really look like it was made of liquid lava.

"Does it really have to be _this_ hot?" Atalaya asked and quickly backed out of the room, fanning her face in attempt to cool down. "I mean, won't the egg take damage?"

"According to legend, mother dragons breathe fire over their eggs," Lance said and closed the door, smiling at Atalaya's disbelieving expression. "I do not know the precise temperature of a dragon's fire, but I dare say this ought to be close enough."

They moved back up on deck, where the rest of the crew was waiting. The sails had already been folded out, and Kitsune and Ruule stood by the ship rail, ready to pull up the anchor. "Ready when you are, captain," Roa's voice sounded from the wheel, and Atalaya sent him a wide grin before raising a hand to point towards the sun.

"We're casting off," she said loudly. "Set sail for Solare Kingdom!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

AN; _To be continued..._

_This episode marks the official end of Runuura Arc! The next one will be... well, I'm not gonna tell you that. Nope. Might ruin the surprise._

_Heh._

_Have a nice weekend, and until monday, fare thee well!_


End file.
